Emma Raducanu vs Aryna Sabalenka – Wimbledon 2025 LIVE: Live score and game-by-game updates as British No 1 faces toughest test yet against world No 1

Taking on Aryna Sabalenka may at times feel like poking a bear because when it’s not going her way she just seems to come back even stronger.

Some rapid-fire hitting puts her out in front with a 30-0 lead before she delicately lobs Raducanu, who had rushed to the net to meet a drop shot, to set up three immediate break back points.

The first of those is blown with a drilled forehand into the net, before a backhand down the line is very, very long to blow break point No 2.

Break point No 3 is handed to her when an eager Raducanu misfires behind the baseline with a forehand.

INCREDIBLE defensive skills from Raducanu in that game, just the kind of counter-punching style she played so well against Vondrousova in the second round.

A stunning backhand passing shot down the line is cheered by the partisan home support as Raducanu races out into a 30-0 lead on Sabalenka’s serve.

She rushes in for a drop shot and slips as she connects, clutchcing at her leg and looking at her box anguished as a result after Sabalenka returns it into the open court.

Back on her feet, Raducanu attacks the second serve of Raducanu and tees up two break points thanks to a blown backhand crosscourt return from her rival.

Just when Raducanu looks to have punctured the artillery of Sabalenka, a fortunate net cord sides with the Belarusian to save one of those break points.

AND THERE IT IS. Sabalenka fluffs her lines AGAIN and Raducanu breaks to go within one game of the set.

Sabalenka is really going after Raducanu’s forehand side, working the angle to get Raducanu moving outside the tramlines. The Brit defends superbly off the backhand but not the other side

Sabalenka is really letting it rip now and she is unleashing cannons from her racket to set up a break point.

Thankfully, Raducanu rises to the challenge with a brilliant ace down to the T for 40-40.

But Sabalenka is like an immovable force right now and she lets out a huge roar after teeing up another break point, courtesy of a forehand error from Raducanu. The Brit does well to save this one, too.

A slip from Raducanu stops her from reaching a winner to her forehand side by Sabalenka, a third break point which is plundered into the net by Sabalenka’s backhand. Third deuce.

A rusty backhand of her own into the net sees Raducanu serve up a fourth break point of this game but that too is wasted by the world No 1 who can only produce that awkward smile you do when a grandparent wants to take a photo of you when you really don’t want one.

A Raducanu double fault presents break and set point No 5. You guessed it, fluffed again by Sabalenka after a wayward and wide backhand.

Attempt No 6 to break as we enter the ninth minute of this game… botched on the Sabalenka backhand.

A netted forehand from Raducanu after a short rally presents opportunity No 7… you guessed it. Awry. A long return of serve and Sabalenka strokes her chin in bewilderment.

ROAR. Raducanu holds after some quick points. Job done.

My colleague MATTHEW LAMBWELL is out watching this on Centre Court…

Eight points in a row for Sabalenka – that’s what the big dogs do – to go to 5-4 but I still don’t feel she has looked entirely comfortable, from the moment she stepped out here tonight.

Raducanu is sending off a racket to be restrung – no surprise given how the ball has been flying off her strings since the new balls were brought out after seven games.

Raducanu is now looking down at her racket after quickly finding herself in a 40-0 hole.

But she refuses to give up the game and delivers a rousing forehand winner down the line at near-full stretch to meet what Sabalenka assumed would be a crosscourt winner. 40-15.

That reprieve was short-lived however as Sabalenka rattles off the point she needs to hold. Normal service resumed.

Ah, we may have a problem.

Raducanu’s inability to suddenly find her first serve has seen Sabalenka go hunting and she is feasting on the Brit’s seocnd serve, racing iunto a 40-0 lead before another Raducanu error hands the break right back.

That is a real shame as that was gift-wrapped for the world No 1.

An unforced forehand error from Raducanu seals the hold of serve for Sabalenka but the general consensus – unfortunately – here is that Raducanu has already won more games than many anticipated.

She is making the world No 1 very uncomfortable right now.

This has been a really, really good start for Raducanu.

Former British No 1 Annabel Croft on BBC Radio 5 Live

Raducanu is holding her own, she is not being intimidated and is giving Sabalenka plenty to think about.

I am not trusting in Sabalenka in those baseline exchanges. It will be interesting to see if the her first serve can do enough to do some damage.

The intensity of this match is super high and right now that’s favouring Raducanu.

Despite being made to run up 30-15, she holds her nerve to solidify the break.

This crowd are so loud. They are loving it!

An overhead smash from Sabalenka gets this fifth game underway but Raducanu soon forces another error which generates a big cheer. 15-15.

A cheeky drop shot from the back of the court by Raducanu is bettered by a drop shot response by Sabalenka to go up 30-15.

Each of these Sabalenka service games are a grind and an overcooked crosscourt backhand – a fifth unforced error already from her – makes it 30-30.

There’s a laser-like focus in Raducanu’s eyes and a forehand winner down the line, with Sabalenka weighted to move in the other direction is a thing of beauty to set up another break point.

And yet Sabalenka just doles out an ace just like that. Deuce.

A further break point comes and goes – this time Sabalenka aggressively closing the space to play at the net – but a third in this game arrives when a redirected forehand down the line hits the top of the net.

And a backhand into the net after brilliant scurrying from Raducanu sees her BREAK.

Two straight serves that haven’t come back to Raducanu equals two fistpumps.

This is an enormous match for her given her rough record against top 10 players.

A 110mph ace down the T to go up 40-0 is followed up by an unforced Sabalenka error, who plunders a backhand down the line and into the net.

The beauty of these kind of matches is that it’s often so chess-like early on.

Sabalenka is emotionless so far but she’s held by dropping just one point on her serve in this game.

A quick sitdown at the changeover, a sip of her water bottle, and the job continues.

These two aren’t messing around for timing here.

Sabalenka is still fine-tuning her power here and a wild forehand down the line goes well beyond that line to put Raducanu in control on her serve at 40-15.

A netted effort then seals the game as Raducanu holds with far more ease than her opponent.

We have ourselves a match.

The power Aryna Sabalenka can generate in her serve makes it such a potent weapon in the women’s game and it’s in full effect in this opening game of the match.

But Raducanu is able to combat it down 30-15 and the rallies are not what Sabalenka is looking for, eventually spraying a backhand long for 30-30.

A big serve out wide follows to make it 40-30 to Sabalenka but a skewed forehand that goes awkwardly awry puts Raducanu at deuce, with her first fistpump of the match in celebration.

A forehand winner from Raducanu on a second serve from Sabalenka gives her her first break point of the match but a vicious serve down the T rescues the world No 1. 40-40.

Two quick points and it’s a first hold… but not easy for Sabalenka.

Never mind 8.15pm! It’s show-time… Sablenka to serve.

It’s been far from smooth on Centre Court today.

Many of the unfortunate disruptions came in the first match.

When these two met at Indian Wells last year it was Aryna Sabalenka that came out on top, winning that one 6-3, 7-5 versus Raducanu.

A shot at redemption for the Brit, perhaps?

Loud cheers as the two players walk out onto court.

Closing the room will improve the atmosphere and that will work in Raducanu’s favour.

But Sabalenka is unbelievable at the best of times and those times are now.

This could play out in so many different ways but I am excited.

Well, organisers have decided to close the roof of Centre Court which will, naturally, alter the conditions for both Emma Raducanu and Aryna Sabalenka.

By my estimate we’re looking at around an 8:15pm start.

I found this, by my colleague TAMARA PRENN, really insightful on those closest to Emma Raducanu here at Wimbledon.

Raducanu got into the spirit of the women’s Euros before her match this evening with a quick kick-a-bout… love that

To see British men’s No 1 Jack Draper bow out last night should serve as a warning to Emma Raducanu, albeit she is up against even stiffer opposition.

My colleague MATTHEW LAMBWELL has written about how the idea British players are automatically great on grass is a myth – exposed by Draper losing to Marin Cilic.

The cheer that has just gone up was as much for Carlos Alcaraz winning as it was for the fact that Emma Raducanu is next… nobody wanted to see Alcaraz go to a fifth set.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of British No 1 Emma Raducanu facing World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is box office stuff if I ever did see it.