Aryna Sabalenka Makes Worrying ‘Age’ Confession After Prevailing Against Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka had to toil hard to earn a three-set win against Emma Raducanu at Cincinnati.

Aryna Sabalenka Makes Worrying ‘Age’ Confession After Prevailing Against Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka, Emma Raducanu (Image via X/Aryna Sabalenka Archive, @HaileeBishh)

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Aryna Sabalenka admitted that her three-set battle with Emma Raducanu at the Cincinnati Open left her feeling “old” and in need of her coach’s help. The world No. 1 edged out the Brit 7-6(6-2), 4-6, 7-6(7-5) in a Round of 32 match that lasted three hours and nine minutes. After the win, she sent a gracious message to Raducanu, praising her performance.

The match was filled with momentum swings, but Sabalenka held her nerve in a tense third-set tie-break to secure her place in the Round of 16. She will next face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. The victory was her second over Raducanu in recent months, following a straight-sets win at Wimbledon earlier this year. Sabalenka said in her post-match press conference:

Throughout the match, I kept thinking that’s what they call aging. I told myself, ‘So this is what it feels like to be older.’ I looked at Emma, and she was active, ready for the next point while I was still trying to catch my breath. I couldn’t believe I was getting older. We need to do something because I’m getting older. I was trying to control my breathing, exhale slowly, make sure I could breathe properly. I just hoped I could hang in there in these conditions and finally get the victory.

Raducanu, working with new coach Francisco Roig, came close to reversing the outcome this time but could not finish the job. The contest, played in 31-degree heat, became the fourth-longest match of Sabalenka’s career. Speaking to Tennis Channel afterwards, the three-time Grand Slam champion said the physical challenge reminded her of her age.

Looking ahead, Raducanu will compete in the US Open mixed doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz before turning her focus to the women’s singles. She returns to Flushing Meadows, the venue where she won her first Grand Slam title at the age of 18.

Aryna Sabalenka prevails against Emma Raducanu

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka needed more than three hours to overcome 30th seed Emma Raducanu 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) and reach the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open. The Belarusian won 51 of 65 points on her first serve, finishing one of the longest matches of her career at three hours and nine minutes.

Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka
Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Mirror Sport)

Raducanu started strong, breaking early in the first set, but Sabalenka fought back to level at 6-6 before dominating the tie-break. The deciding set saw both players hold serve, with the eighth game producing a marathon of 13 deuces before Raducanu held. Despite the pressure, neither player gave up their serve until the final tie-break.

In the third-set breaker, Sabalenka trailed 1-2 but won three points in a row to take control. Raducanu fought back to 4-4, yet Sabalenka held her nerve to seal the victory. Remarkably, Raducanu won more total points in the match — 125 to Sabalenka’s 122 — but still came out on the losing side.

Also advancing to the Round of 16 was No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek, who moved on after No. 25 seed Marta Kostyuk withdrew. The Pole’s walkover win secured her place alongside Sabalenka in the next stage of the tournament.

Emma Raducanu’s prize money from Cincinnati Open

Emma Raducanu’s 2025 Cincinnati Open ended in the round of 32 after a hard-fought three-set loss to world No. 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Seeded 30th, Raducanu had a first-round bye and opened her campaign with a straight-sets victory over Olga Danilovic. That win set up a clash with Sabalenka, who extended her head-to-head lead to 3-0 after a 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) battle lasting over three hours.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu (Image via X/Emma Raducanu Fan)

The British No. 1 began the tournament ranked No. 39 in the WTA Rankings and rose to No. 34 in the live standings after her second-round win. By reaching the third round, she earned 65 ranking points, bringing her total to 1,426.

However, her defeat meant no further gains, and she has since slipped to No. 35 as Veronika Kudermetova moved ahead. With Cincinnati being the final event before seedings are confirmed, Raducanu is unlikely to secure a top-32 spot for the US Open unless higher-ranked players withdraw.

On the financial side, Raducanu added $32,840 to her career prize money, which now exceeds $5.36 million. Over $1.06 million of that has come in 2025. While her Cincinnati run matched her third-round result at the Canadian Open, it was not enough to significantly change her seeding prospects for New York.

Raducanu now turns her attention to the US Open, where the lack of seeding could mean a tough draw. She risks facing top contenders like Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, or Iga Swiatek in the early rounds. Avoiding an early meeting with one of the tournament favorites will be key if she hopes for a deep run at Flushing Meadows.

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