Tennis-Sabalenka survives Siegemund spell to reach Wimbledon semis

By Ossian Shine

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka was dragged into a bygone era on Tuesday and tormented for almost three hours on Wimbledon’s Centre Court before finally imposing her 21st-century power game to beat mesmeric Laura Siegemund for a place in the semi-finals.

The Belarusian needed all her powers of ball bludgeoning and belief to emerge from a befuddling battle, somehow the victor, 4-6 6-2 6-4.

For much of the spell-binding contest it looked as though the world number one would find no answers to Siegemund’s sorcery as the 37-year-old German veteran chipped, chopped and drop-shotted the world’s best player to pieces, leaving the top seed’s power game neutered on the turf.

Ranked a lowly 104 in the world, Siegemund drew on the game of a gentler age to bring low the mighty Belarusian, casting spells of slice and sleight with vintage flair.

But slowly, if not exactly surely, the 10-years-younger and seemingly stronger Sabalenka managed to wrestle back the upper hand, and now awaits either 13th seed Amanda Anisimova or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in Saturday’s final.