The World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is back in the quarterfinals for the third time. Last time she was at SW19, the Belarusian made it to the semifinals. Before that, it was 2021. But her opponent isn’t one to go down easy. Laura Siegemund just posted her career-best result this year. A winner of three Grand Slam titles—one in doubles, two in mixed—Siegemund’s unconventional style goes well beyond her racquet skills. This time, she’s brought the heat to Wimbledon!

On Sunday, Siegemund punched her ticket to a second major singles quarterfinal, ending Solana Sierra’s spirited run. The German was on fire, converting five of eight break points to take down the 21-year-old, 6-3, 6-2. Experience shone through as Laura was relentless against Madison Keys, carving out 13 break points and converting five to seal a commanding 6-3, 6-3 win. She kept the momentum rolling in the fourth round, dispatching Sierra 6-3, 6-2 to keep her dream run alive.

Clay has always been her playground. But Siegemund opened up about the challenge of switching to grass. “I felt like I never have really enough time to kind of get confidence from my grass game, and maybe the precision here and there and when to do what,” she told the press. This year, though, things clicked. “This time that I had already a few matches in Nottingham, and I felt that I had more matches, and I had more opportunity to get this confidence, and it’s showing, yeah.”

At 38, she’s not just making waves in singles—she’s also into the doubles quarterfinals. For the first time in five years, Siegemund is back in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, and she’s loving every minute. But what about Sabalenka?

Aryna Sabalenka is on a mission to prove that nothing—neither Siegemund’s crafty arsenal nor her on-court swagger—can rattle her. “I’ll just show her that she doesn’t annoy me,” Sabalenka declared, flashing the confidence of a three-time major singles champion after notching her tenth straight win over Elise Mertens. She’s been a fixture in the last three major finals, winning two, and sits as the top seed after racking up 23 wins in her last 25 Slam matches. When she took the second set from Mertens, she stretched her tiebreak streak to 14 in a row this season.

Siegemund, never one to shy away from a challenge, brings her signature bravado to the court. “As I said after big wins before, I have this game and this maybe boldness—I don’t know if that’s the right word in English—to take out big names. I’ve always had that,” she shared, grinning. Her secret? She simply doesn’t care who stands across the net. “Just maybe because I don’t care who is on the other side. In a positive, respectful way I don’t care.” But what can fans expect from their clash?

Aryna Sabalenka’s chances against Laura Siegemund’s prowess

It’s been six years since these two last crossed paths on the WTA tour—Sabalenka took both matches, one on hard court and one on clay, but neither has tested the other on grass. This time, the stakes are sky-high. The German ace has gone 6-2 on grass this season, a big leap from her previous Wimbledon outings, where she’d never made it past the second round in ten tries. Now, she’s set to take Centre Court by storm.

Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, leads their head-to-head 2-0 and has yet to drop a set to Siegemund. The Belarusian powerhouse is in top form, dropping only eight matches this year, most of those against fellow top-10 players. She’s also yet to lose a set at Wimbledon, matching Siegemund’s perfect run so far. Both players are proving they can handle the grass, even if it’s not their go-to surface.

Siegemund’s doubles pedigree is well-known—she’s a three-time Grand Slam champion in that arena—but singles success at Wimbledon has always been elusive until now. This run marks her career-best, and she’s showing off her trademark variety and mental toughness. Still, she’s never really been tested in the kind of long, grinding rallies that Sabalenka thrives on.

Centre Court pressure is a different beast, and Sabalenka’s experience gives her a clear edge. With both players undefeated in sets this tournament, the stage is set for a high-octane clash. All signs point to the world No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, as the favorite—she’s expected to take this one, possibly in three thrilling sets. Follow the Championships in real-time with EssentiallySports’ Live Blog updates.