By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 11, 2025
Photo Credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook
In a binding war between the champions, it is the courage to count.
World no. 1 Sabalenka was brave and courageous at highlights Ema Raducanu 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in a three-hour thriller, nine minutes to fight in the fourth round of Cincinnati Open.
Consider the 90-degree burnt heat, shaking 48 percent moisture-and the fact that both samples refused to withdraw-and that was one of the highest quality matches we have seen in WTA Tour this season.
Showing Tiebreaker’s supreme severity, Sabalenka attacked the net and knife a great backward volleyball that climbed to the other side like metal on a magnet to win a double match point at 6-4 in the third set switch.
Lending an elastic raducanu to block its 10th Aces below T to save the first point of the match.
Shaking that stroke, Sabalenka sang the center bar with its eighth acen to end an attractive epic.
Gravel and determination
Defense counsel @Sabalenka Fights it to win 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) against Raducanu.#Cincytennis pic.twitter.com/cghdnHca1p
– wta (@wta) August 11, 2025
In a show of deep mutual respect, both champions Grand Slam hugged in the net like boxers who had thrown haymakers in each other for three hours while Cincinnat fans greeted the party with a well-deserved ovation.
Sabalenka then said that playing the marathon match in oppressive heat felt like “aging”.
“I was pretty happy with that stroke (volleyball backward), but I think I just went for quite bold decisions and I think that’s why I won the victory,” Sabalenka said The Prakash Amritraj channel tennis Then. “All the time I thought” that’s what they call aging. “
“I was like this is how she feels old. I looked at Emma and she liked pumped, she was ready to play the next point. And I was still trying to recover my breath and I was like what is happening?
“I was like trying to control my breath, make those slow extracts, and make sure I can breathe normal. I don’t know. I hoped I could stay there in these conditions and win.”
A fierce war saw Raducanu get up and stay long in service in a bold 31-point trend, 23 minutes 15 second to level the last set to 4th by converting her 11th point of play into a captured game.
Many players may need a breath or a sling for their service arm after that difficult task. Not Raducanu.
Showing her net skills, Sabalenka sealed ninth and 11th games with Volley’s winners to go to 6-5 in decision makers. Raducanu responded by holding her 13th consecutive match to force Tiebreaker.
Tiebreakers filled with pressure provoke deep desire and discipline in Sabalenka, who has now won 16 consecutive tiebreakers by improving an 18-1 in 2025 tiebreakers.
It is a loss of intestines for Raducanu, but it has to keep its head up knowing that it pushed world No.1 in Sabalenka countries is rarely forced to visit. Serving wisely, Raducanu outside the high seed, saved six of the eight points of rest and although she made nine double mistakes, you can’t blame British to go after her second service after seeing the Sabalenka Clock winners in the second serves near the middle of the box.
Despite playing at the Extreme Heat, Sabalenka seemed eager and enthusiastic about the war set at the end, while she raised her 2025 record to a better 49-9 WTA.
It was Sabalenka’s second direct victory over a Slam champion after her opening victory over Marketa Vondrousova.
The reigning champion of Cincinnati Sabalenka will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the fourth round. Bouzas Maneiro was a 6-4 winner, 6-1 on the Doubles World No. 1 Taylor Townsend earlier today.
Both sabalenka and Raducanu have new voices in their Cincinnati training boxes.
22-year-old Raducanu has hired former Rafael Nadal long coach Francisco Roig as her new coach. ROIG follows Mark Petchey, whose commentary commitments with the tennis channel prevented her from continuing what was a successful couple with Raducanu.
Beyond the net, Sabalenka welcomes Belarus’s beast, Max Mirnyi, in her box for the difficult season of North American Summer. Seventh owner Grand Slam Double Champions, including 2000 US Open with Lleyton Hewitt, Mirnyi also won double titles with Roger Federer and partner Victoria Azarenka in the Gold Medal of Olympic Doubles 2012 for Belarus.
Mirnyi’s service and volume service had to appreciate the way Sabalenka attacked the net and left in the final stages today.
In their last clash in Wimbledon, Raducanu was on a break in both groups before Sabalenka returned by saving a certain point in the first group of a 7-6 (6) win, 6-4 of the third round in the championship.
Today, Raducanu rolled nine points in the beginning, including the fire of the four preface winners, for a 2-0 lead.
Sabalenka, who saved 12 resting points in her victory of the Cincinnati opening round to former Wimbledon winner, Marketa Vondrousova, issued a heavy blow to create through four straight games for a 4-2 lead. Raducanu retired back to level after eight games, then denied a few resting points fighting through a six-minute reception for 5-4.
Rejecting her first established love, Sabalenk forced the first firm connector.
The condensed pressure can limit some players to a tiebreaker, but Sabalenka is not one of them.
Armed with a 16-1 link record this season, Sabalenka immediately scored the mini vacation, threw a 92km front shot down line for 3-1, then used a double Raducanu fault for 4-1.
“Forget about it,” Raducanu Roig coach asked the box.
The ACES clash then brought Sabalenka five points located at 6-1. Raducanu rescued two, including the rifle of a backward passing near 3-6.
Then the sabalenka slammed her fourth ace to seal a narrow 54-minute opening in style.
Set 1 goes to Sabalenka Street@Sabalenka Take the opening 7-6 (3) against Raducanu.#Cincytennis pic.twitter.com/b8l8rfiq3y
– wta (@wta) August 11, 2025
It was Sabalenka’s 15th direct victory, as it improved to 17-1 in breakers in 2025.
Painting the corners of the box in the service, Raducanu stayed with Sabalenka throughout the second set. Raducanu rolled its fourth Ace to help the second level set after six matches.
Then the 2021 Open Open champion made him move.
The detachment of a deep return to the middle of the court, Raducanu withdrew a backward mistake at the next point to win triple rest in the seventh match. Sabalenka saved two resting points closing at 30-40. Standing the toes with the toe with the number 1 on a precursor exchange, Raducanu withdrew the vanguard error for 4-3.
Stinging serving to extend the box was helped by Raducanu to reserve the holiday for 5-3.
When Sabalenka led a long back, the Britain won a double point. In a second service, Raducanu and her fifth sculpture on stage to seal the first set she would win from Sabalenka and force a decision -making after 100 minutes of steam.
We are going to a decision maker@Emmaradan Seals second set 6-4 against sabalenka.#Cincytennis pic.twitter.com/dnoor99e5u
– wta (@wta) August 11, 2025
Canadian Felix Aumer-Aliassime said today’s swinging conditions were “like playing in an oven”.
After a short break, Sabalenka and Raducanu continued to stand up to decision makers.
That marathon and the eighth match attractive, so Raducanu won 10 game points and Sabalenka create four rest points, but couldn’t even close.
Finally, after 23 minutes and 15 seconds, Raducanu sent a down service while holding the longest game of her fist career and a shout for 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9c8qy1oizy
Sabalenka credit for his shake and strong return to a memorable tiebreaker.
After all, world no. 1 – And Cincinnati fans – were great winners after both women dug deeply avoiding the competitive character that the champions Grand Slam.
