“She’s fighting. She’s playing much better. She’s more consistent. I can see that mentally she’s healthy. I think that’s really important. I’m pretty sure she’s getting there.”
Raducanu, who famously won the 2021 US Open as a teenaged qualifier ranked 150th, peaked at world No.10 in July 2022.
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She has since battled chronic injuries – forcing her to undergo multiple surgeries – and off-court tumult, making her return to form all the more impressive.
Currently ranked 40th, Raducanu has never before played this many tour-level matches (32) or won as many (18) through Wimbledon in a single season.
Yet this consistency falls short of the kind produced by Sabalenka, who by progressing to the fourth round at Wimbledon has now reached the second week in her past 11 Grand Slam tournaments – a feat no woman has achieved since Serena Williams.
She’s been at her best in the tightest moments, too; after saving set point to snatch the opener against Raducanu, it marked Sabalenka’s 13th straight tiebreak won.