How being 'softened up' knocked Sabalenka's confidence – analysis

In her analysis, BBC Sport pundit Annabel Croft noted that Aryna Sabalenka entered her semi-final match against Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon 2025 less than fully prepared, having been “softened up” by a challenging previous round against Laura Siegemund. This lack of readiness contributed to her inability to perform at her best, leading to her defeat.

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Annabel Croft said Aryna Sabalenka wasn’t playing her best because she had a tough match before, which made it hard for her to win against Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon 2025.

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