Aryna Sabalenka avoids major shock with fightback win over Laura Siegemund

By Andy Sims, PA

Top seed and title favourite Aryna Sabalenka survived an almighty scare against world number 104 Laura Siegemund before reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Sabalenka, the runaway world number one and a three-time grand slam champion, had not dropped a set on her way to the quarter-finals.

But 37-year-old Siegemund, who had never previously been beyond the second round, almost produced one of the all-time Centre Court shocks after taking the first set and then twice leading by a break in the decider.

However, Sabalenka kept her nerve and her emotions in check as she dug in for a 4-6 6-2 6-4 victory in just under three hours.

“I need some time to cool down and recover, she pushed me so much,” said Sabalenka.

“After the first set I was looking at my box and saying ‘book the tickets, we’re out of this place’.”

German women aged 37 have been the great disruptors of the English summer, with Tatiana Maria claiming a surprise win at Queen’s Club before Siegemund’s unlikely run here.

A renowned doubles player, her game is built around slices, angles, drop shots and being nimble on her feet.

But the two clubbing backhand winners with which she sealed two breaks of serve in the opening three games were straight from the Sabalenka playbook.

It was a drop shot which brought up another break point, which was secured when an increasingly glum-looking Sabalenka went long, and when the Belarusian dumped a forehand into the net for the umpteenth time she found herself a set down for the first time this fortnight.

Sabalenka disappeared off court at the changeover, and when play resumed she moved a break up, only for Siegemund to claw it straight back.

Siegemund was beginning to deploy the dark arts she has built a reputation for, taking an age between points as Sabalenka waited to serve.

 

It was clearly irritating the 27-year-old, but she took her frustration out on the ball with some trademark power hitting eventually levelling the match – the first set Siegemund had dropped this Championships.

Yet the underdog bit back in the deciding set, and when she broke for 4-3 she was two games away from a seismic shock.

However, Sabalenka broke back immediately and then roared with delight after putting away a smash on match point to reach the semi-finals for the 10th time in the last 11 grand slams.