Aryna Sabalneka threatens Iga Swiatek’s World No. 1 ranking as she beats Madison Keys to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals

Aryna Sabalenka makes it through to her second Wimbledon semi-finals as she overcomes Madison Keys in an entertaining quarter-final clash.

Aryna Sabalneka threatens Iga Swiatek’s World No. 1 ranking as she beats Madison Keys to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals

Aryna Sabalenka (Credits: Reuters)

The reality of achieving the World No. 1 rank is getting closer for Aryna Sabalenka. Up against the American Madison Keys in the quarter-finals of the Wimbledon 2023, Sabalenka won the match 6-2, 6-4. The pair was playing on the No. 1 Court and they played out an entertaining clash for the crowd in the stands.

Sabalenka found herself down in the second set at 2-4 and 0-40. It looked certain that Keys will be taking the match into the third set. But Sabalenka fought back valiantly and went on not only to secure a duece but also broke Keys and held her serve to make it 4-4. She then broke again to serve for the match at 5-4 and served the match out. She did need multiple match points but in the end, she is the winner.

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This is Sabalenka’s second qualification into the semi-finals of Wimbledon. She had earlier made the last-4 in 2021 but lost to eventual runner-up Karolina Pliskova. With the ban on her compatriots along with Russians, the World No. 2 has made a strong return to the grass-court Grand Slam. She is now the first player to make the semi-finals of the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Serena Williams in 2016.

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A lot of perks await Aryna Sabalenka if she wins the Wimbledon title

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (Credits: Bets.com.au)

Apart from the membership of Wimbledon and the perks of the All-England Club, Aryna Sabalenka has a lot more to win with the title. Having won the 2023 Australian Open earlier this year, she is now in a commanding position to win her second Major this year. With top-seed Iga Swiatek already out, Sabalenka will look to capitalize on the situation as she now can become the World No. 1 as well.

A title on the Centre Court on Saturday will see the Belarus reach the top for the first time in her career and be there at least till the Canadian Open during the US Open Leg series. Sabalenka will now have to wait for a little while to know who her semi-final opponent is going to be. Playing on the Centre Court, Ons Jabeur and Elena Rybakina are engrossed in a close battle. At the time of Sabalenka’s win, Rybakina had won the first set in the tiebreaker after having earlier defended set points.

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