Emma Raducanu produced one of the finest performances of her career but ultimately fell short against world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a gruelling three-hour, nine-minute contest at the Cincinnati Open. The British 22-year-old lost 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the third round, pushing the Belarusian to the brink in a match that showcased her significant progress.
Raducanu, who has struggled against top players recently, demonstrated her quality by matching Sabalenka shot for shot. Her serving, a weakness earlier in the season, improved dramatically as she landed 82% of first serves in the second set and won 75% of points behind it. She also used her backhand slice effectively and chose her moments to attack with her forehand brilliantly.
Sabalenka, despite 72 unforced errors, showed her champion's resilience by winning 16 consecutive tie-breaks. The 26-year-old, now working with Belarusian doubles legend Max Mirnyi, repeatedly approached the net in crucial moments of the final set to find a path to victory. She sealed the match with an ace in the deciding tie-break.
The match was played in stifling 32°C heat and high humidity. Raducanu started strongly, winning the first nine points, but lost the first-set tie-break after double-faulting. She bounced back to take the second set, breaking Sabalenka at 3-3. In the final set, Raducanu saved four break points in a 20-minute game at 3-4 before forcing another tie-break, where Sabalenka's experience proved decisive.
Raducanu's new coach, Francisco Roig, repeatedly told her during a set break: 'You're better than her.' The performance suggests she is closing the gap on the world's best, having also pushed Sabalenka in a tight match at Wimbledon earlier this year.
