Remember the last two Grand Slams? Aryna Sabalenka stormed into both finals, crashing through barriers in Melbourne and Paris, only to have her dreams shattered at the doorstep by Madison Keys Down Under and Coco Gauff on the clay. The heartbreak was raw, the hunger still fierce. Now, at the All England Club, the top seed has punched her ticket to the quarterfinals, with destiny daring her once again. But can another tricky force derail her charge to the semis? Enter 37-year-old Laura Siegemund: a relentless disruptor with nothing to lose and everything to prove. The battle lines are drawn!
In the heat of a nerve-rattling Wimbledon battle against home favorite Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka revealed a candid trick she used to survive the Centre Court chaos, pretending the roaring British crowd was cheering for her. Just 48 hours later, she didn’t need to imagine anything. With pure power and composure, the world No. 1 battled past Elise Mertens 6-4, 7-6(4), claiming a well-earned victory that echoed with real applause and a tenth consecutive win over the Belgian.
But the road ahead isn’t getting smoother. When asked about her upcoming QF challenge against 37-year-old Laura Siegemund, who herself admits her game is tricky to a lot of players, Sabalenka didn’t hold back in breaking down the tactical storm awaiting her. “It’s tricky and especially on the grass, when all of those shots like it just slows down, and you have to stay really low and work with your legs a lot,” she explained. “And especially on the grass, it can be really tricky. Her game style and yeah, it’s annoying.”
Still, Sabalenka’s mindset isn’t one to be rattled by slice-and-dice tactics or mid-match chaos. “But I’ve been facing a lot of tricky players, and I think for me personally, the main thing is not like not to overrash and not to get frustrated by her game and focus on myself,” she said with steely clarity. “And I know that if I’ll be there, if I’ll be focusing on myself and I’ll be fighting for every point, I know that I have enough of variety. I have a strong game to handle the tricky shots.”
Tennis: Wimbledon Championships Jul 4, 2025 Wimbledon, United Kingdom Aryna Sabalenka reacts to a point during her match against Emma Raducanu of Great Britain on day five at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ENTER STATE United Kingdom, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSusanxMullanex 20250704_szo_au2_0276
That confidence only sharpened in her final words, a message not just to Siegemund, but to the entire draw. “I’ll just show her that she doesn’t annoy me,” Sabalenka declared. “I played against a lot of tricky players who is doing all of those slice shots, approaching the net, going for lobs. I think mentally I know how to approach these players.” The queen of consistency is ready to roar, loud enough that no imagination is needed this time.
The story continues…
The post Aryna Sabalenka Makes Honest Admission Before ‘Annoying’ Wimbledon Test: “I’ll Just Show Her” appeared first on EssentiallySports.