Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2, *4-4 Siegemund

The noise emanating from Sabalenka’s mouth is curtailed, mid-wail, by her backhand hitting the net. She’s making poor decisions now, trying to go for the winner when simply getting it back over the net would suffice.

Siegemund, though, seems to be tiring a little too. The 37-year-old, more known for her doubles prowess, is likely to be fatiguing in the sunshine and heat on Centre Court in the more physically draining singles discipline.

That would explain why she is taking so long between points and service games! She plops one into the net, then goes 15-30 down. Sabalenka readjusts her bun.

Another Sabalenka error, 40-30, but the world No. 1 watches it go long for deuce. Another momentum-shifting game so far. And Sabalenka wins a battle of the slices!

Siegemund tries to slice, slice, baby, to try to muffle Sabalenka’s raw power and ‘grip it and rip it’ approach. Maybe seven slices in a row between them ends with Siegemund netting to gasps.

Break point Sabalenka… and she yelps as she can only find the net. Deuce. Ooh, Siegemund shot called wide, very close, advantage Sabalenka… and another drifts narrowly long! Sabalenka breaks!