World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka narrowly avoided becoming the latest upset victim at Wimbledon 2025, grinding out a hard-fought win over Czech player Marie Bouzkova in a thrilling Centre Court clash on Wednesday.
Sabalenka, a two-time Grand Slam winner, took the opening match of the day but not without struggle, admitting she had to “dig deep” mentally and physically to overcome Bouzkova’s relentless baseline game. The Belarusian eventually triumphed 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, but the tension was palpable throughout.
“I was praying not to be the next one after seeing so many early exits this week,” Sabalenka said to reporters after the game. “Bouzkova made me work for every point and truly gave it her all.”
With the tournament already witnessing surprise losses—including the exits of several top seeds—Sabalenka acknowledged the unpredictability at this year’s event. She now advances to the second round, hoping to regain her dominant form and avoid further close calls as she chases her first Wimbledon title.
