There’s a word three-time Wimbledon champion Chris Evert uses as essential to all great performance – eager.

From the moment Emma Raducanu walked on to Centre Court to face the fearsome first-strike game of Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, it defined her performance.

Raducanu wanted to be here, across the net from the powerful world No.1. She wanted every moment of the battle, good and bad, throughout 74 see-saw minutes comprising the astonishing first set.

When that was lost she kept on wanting it, upping the aggression to break. She had a point for 5-1 and two for 5-2, and when they were lost her desire still fuelled her, even as Sabalenka levelled for 4-4. She wanted it when her accuracy slipped in the crucial next game, and even after that she didn’t stop searching for a solution beyond her reach.

Sabalenka was not to be denied. The 27-year-old won this wonderful contest 7-6(6), 6-4 in a shade under two hours. A packed Centre Court roared its appreciation for both competitors, and maybe just a little louder for the one who left the arena first.

“Honestly, she played incredible tennis and pushed me really hard,” Sabalenka said. “I fought her like crazy for every point, trying to stay calm and push myself to my limits.

“And the atmosphere. Wow. My ears are still hurting. Every time you guys were cheering her, I was telling myself ‘pretend they’re cheering for you’. I had goose bumps.”

It’s a wonder Raducanu wasn’t blinded as she walked out on to the court, such was the white-out blizzard of instructions from all sides as to how she might thwart Sabalenka’s intimidating game.

In non-exhaustive summary, the Briton had to avoid playing passively, while side-stepping any futile attempt to out-hit her opponent. She needed to make a fast start, control her own side, be smart, and take her chances (should any arise).

She had to use a sliced backhand to take the pace out of Sabalenka’s groundstrokes, while hitting the ball with more quality more often, serving better, hitting better on the move, being creative, delivering her first serve, and being patient.

The giant inventory of pre-match directives hurled at Raducanu was reminiscent of that scene from the 2001 crime caper Ocean’s 11, where Brad Pitt briefs Matt Damon on what he must and mustn’t do if the next stage of their multi-million-dollar heist masterplan is to succeed.

“Look down, they know you’re lying. Look up, they know you don’t know the truth. Don’t use seven words where four will do…” And so on.

Raducanu proved herself far from helpless, immediately pressuring her opponent, delivering answers on the Sabalenka serve to create break points. Sabalenka found herself on the back foot, and on Raducanu’s third chance even a 121mph Sabalenka delivery couldn’t fend off the threat.

What a start. Even after Sabalenka levelled, Raducanu gave her plenty to think about, searching for invention throughout a rollicking, sensational game at 4-5, repelling seven set points for a titanic 13-minute hold, before turning Sabalenka over to break again and serve for the set.

But the tide switched once more, and Sabalenka’s touch – a shocking counterpoint to her power – took it into the tie-break. She had won her last 12 such, and when Raducanu could not convert a set point of her own, Sabalenka nailed it.

It was a different kind of fight to Raducanu’s excellent second round win over Marketa Vondrousova, but perhaps she drew on the intelligence of that victory. As if the first set never happened, she shattered Sabalenka’s defence with a brilliant return for 3-1.

But Sabalenka was not to be denied. She forced her way back, stalling only momentarily on her first two match points, before the enthralling battle was done.

Real life isn’t like the movies. It all worked out for Brad Pitt and Matt Damon on the big screen – they scarpered with the booty before the closing titles.

As Raducanu might point out, it’s easier to pull off a heist with an 11-strong team. One lone opponent against Sabalenka is altogether tougher. In the third round at Wimbledon 2025, it proved an impossible steal.

“Right now,” she said, “it’s difficult to see that I have a lot to be proud of.

“I had chances in both sets. It’s hard to take a loss like this but she’s No.1 in the world and a great champion. I have to be proud of myself today.”

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