Aryna Sabalenka Beats Emma Raducanu in Three-Hour Cincinnati Open Match

At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Emma Raducanu faced world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a tense three-hour match marked by a notable incident involving a crying baby in the stands, which distracted Raducanu during a crucial game. Raducanu expressed frustration to the umpire, who hesitated to remove the child, sparking debate among spectators about children attending tennis matches. Despite the distraction and a hard-fought effort, Raducanu lost the match in a close final set tiebreak, with Sabalenka advancing to defend her title. Raducanu, proud of her performance, acknowledged Sabalenka's top ranking and praised her own improvement on hard courts compared to grass. Sabalenka credited her new coach for encouraging her to play more aggressively at the net, which contributed to her victory. The match and the baby incident sparked widespread discussion on social media about the appropriateness of children at professional sporting events and the expectations of spectators and parents.