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Aryna Sabalenka Escapes Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati Open

Aryna Sabalenka outlasted Emma Raducanu in the third round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
Pat Benson|
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu in the third round of the Cincinnati Open. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

On Monday afternoon, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka met the 30th-seeded Emma Raducanu in the third round of the Cincinnati Open. It was a rematch of their exciting third round match at Wimbledon last month.

Similar to their last showdown, today's match had plenty of thrilling moments. However, it was far more competitive and truly could have gone either way. Sabalenka narrowly defeated Raducanu in three sets: 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5).

Raducanu had a lead in the first set before Sabalenka battled back to win the tiebreak. However, Raducanu held strong, fending off another comeback in the second set to force a decider. Sabalenka held on to win another tiebreak and escape with a victory.

Sabalenka tallied eight and three double faults. Meanwhile, Raducanu hit ten aces and nine double faults. Sabalenka was 2/8 on break points, while Raducanu was 3/7 in break point opportunities.

Sabalenka hit 46 winners and 72 unforced errors compared to Raducanu's 27 winners and 41 unforced errors.

Both players showed incredible willpower and stamina throughout the three-hour marathon match. After a brutal battle, they hugged at the net. Raducanu falls just short of the biggest win of her career, falling to 0-5 against No.1-ranked players.

After today's match, Raducanu falls to 24-17. She will have just over a week to prepare for the US Open. Sabalenka improves to 49-9 and will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the fourth round on Wednesday, August 13.

The Cincinnati Open runs through August 18. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the tennis court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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