Emma Raducanu, the British No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion, fought back tears as she reflected on the “pain” of her 7-6(8-6), 6-4 third-round defeat to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on July 4, 2025, at Wimbledon’s Centre Court. In her post-match press conference, the world No. 40 expressed her self-critical nature, stating, “I’m just very self-critical. It’s hard to see… It’s hard to take a loss like that,” per *Express.co.uk*. Despite the heartbreak, she acknowledged the positives, saying, “I’m very proud of being competitive… I would rather that than it being completely one way,” but admitted the immediate sting made it “difficult to see” those positives right away.
Raducanu’s performance was her best since her 2021 US Open title, pushing Sabalenka to the limit. She saved seven set points in a marathon first-set service game, led 4-1 in the second, and had a set point in the tiebreak, per *BBC Sport*. A slip on the grass caused a worrying moment, leaving her “helpless” as she grabbed her thigh, but she continued without a medical timeout, showing resilience despite ongoing back issues that flared up during the grass season, per *The Express*. She told reporters, “It gives me confidence that I’m not as far away as I thought before the tournament,” contrasting her 1-9 record against top-five players, where prior losses to Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff were more one-sided.[]
Sabalenka praised Raducanu’s “incredible tennis,” predicting a top-10 return, but Raducanu felt the gap was evident in key moments, saying, “She was able to convert, hit some incredible shots”. Raducanu also criticized Wimbledon’s new electronic line-calling system, calling some decisions “very wrong” and “dodgy,” adding to her frustration, per *Metro Sport*. Fans on X, like @scottde07820838, noted her tears stemmed from missed opportunities, believing she “could have won” with chances in both sets. After the match, Raducanu lightened the mood, revealing she ate a KitKat in the locker room to cope, per *TheTennisLetter*
The loss, compounded by personal challenges like a February 2025 stalking incident in Dubai that left her “barely able to breathe,” per *BBC Sport*, and “really bad news” before her emotional Eastbourne win, per *BBC Sport*, underscored her resilience. Despite the pain, Raducanu vowed to “get back to the drawing board” for the US Open, where she’ll play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, per *The Mirror*.[]
