The first week of Wimbledon is a unique beast. It’s a whirlwind of pristine white outfits, shocking upsets on the outer courts, and, for the top seeds, a series of comfortable, straight-sets clinics. It’s a tune-up, a chance to find their footing on the slick grass and build momentum.
Magic from Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka | Best Shots | Day Five | Wimbledon 2025
But now, the “middle Saturday” has arrived, and the calm is officially over. The draw has stiffened, the pretenders have been sent home, and the real tournament has begun.
For the world’s number ones, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, today was the day the difficulty spiked. After cruising through their opening rounds without dropping a set, both faced their first seeded opponents of the tournament. It was a litmus test for their championship ambitions, and both passed—but not without a serious fight.
Alcaraz Forced to Dig Deep Against a Dangerous Lefty
Carlos Alcaraz has looked every bit the defending champion through the first three rounds. His blend of explosive power, breathtaking speed, and deft drop shots seemed tailor-made to dismantle his early opposition. But today on Centre Court, he ran into a wall in the form of French grass-court specialist and No. 18 seed, Ugo Humbert.
Humbert, a lefty with a flat, penetrating backhand and a tricky serve, presented a puzzle Alcaraz hadn’t yet had to solve. From the start, the Frenchman refused to be intimidated, matching Alcaraz’s power from the baseline and attacking the net with confidence.
After trading holds in a tense opening set, Alcaraz finally secured a late break to take it 6-4, letting out a signature “¡Vamos!” But any thought of another routine victory was quickly extinguished. Humbert came roaring back in the second set, his serve clicking into high gear. He pushed Alcaraz to a tiebreak and played it flawlessly, silencing the crowd to level the match.
It was the first moment of real adversity for the Spaniard in this tournament. For a brief period in the third set, his timing was off, his unforced error count creeping up as he struggled with Humbert’s pace. But this is where champions are made. Down a break point at 2-3, Alcaraz produced a moment of magic—a diving volley that seemed impossible—to hold serve. The momentum shifted instantly. He broke Humbert in the very next game and never looked back, closing out the match with authority, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2.
“He was playing unbelievable today,” a relieved Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “The lefty serve on grass, it’s so tough. I had to find a different level, I had to stay calm when I lost the second set. These are the matches that give you the most confidence. I’m happy to be through to the second week.”
Sabalenka’s Power Prevails in Three-Set Thriller
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka’s path has been one of sheer brute force. The powerful No. 1 seed has bludgeoned her opponents into submission, her booming serve and groundstrokes overwhelming anyone who stood in her way. But today, she faced an opponent who wouldn’t be bullied: the clever, all-court craft of former major champion and No. 15 seed, Barbora Krejčíková.
It was a fascinating clash of styles. Sabalenka’s raw power versus Krejčíková’s tactical variety—her high, looping forehands, wicked slices, and willingness to come to the net.
Early on, it was Krejčíková’s strategy that paid dividends. She absorbed Sabalenka’s pace, moved her around the court, and drew a slew of unforced errors from the top seed. With precision and guile, Krejčíková snatched the first set 6-3, leaving Sabalenka looking frustrated and searching for answers.
But Sabalenka did what she does best: she trusted her power. In the second set, she began to find her range. The errors lessened, replaced by blistering winners that painted the lines. She broke Krejčíková early and held her nerve, leveling the match with a 6-4 set.
The third set was a nail-biting affair, with both players refusing to give an inch. But as the pressure mounted, it was Sabalenka’s serve that became the ultimate weapon. She fired down three consecutive aces to hold for a 5-4 lead, putting the pressure squarely back on the Czech. In the final game, Sabalenka’s relentless aggression forced a final error, and she let out a thunderous roar, sealing a hard-fought 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
“She is such a smart player, she makes you think about every shot,” Sabalenka admitted. “In the first set, I was overthinking, I was overhitting. I just had to tell myself to calm down, to trust my game. To win a match like this, it’s a huge relief and a great feeling.”
The Road Ahead: The Contenders Emerge
With their first major hurdles cleared, Alcaraz and Sabalenka have sent a clear message to the rest of the field: they are battle-tested and ready for the title fight.
But the road to the finals is now littered with danger. On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner continues his silent, deadly march through the draw, while a resurgent Novak Djokovic looks hungrier than ever. In the women’s draw, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff both secured comfortable wins today, setting up a potential blockbuster quarter-final.
