Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina was edged out by Victoria Azarenka in a Wimbledon third-round clash that lasted 1 hour and 16 minutes, finishing with set scores of 2-6 and 4-6. The match, broadcast online by socialbites.ca, showcased two veteran competitors as the tournament began to heat up on the grass of the All England Club.
Kasatkina has reached the third round at Wimbledon on three occasions, first breaking through to the quarterfinals back in 2018. Azarenka, meanwhile, has a storied Wimbledon history, with two deep runs to the semi-finals in 2011 and 2012, highlighting her continued relevance on the surface.
Looking ahead, Azarenka advances to face the winner of the Elina Svitolina versus Sofia Kenin encounter, a match that promises to add more intrigue to the late stages of the event.
Wimbledon ran from July 3 to July 16, with a prize fund reported at £44,700,000, underscoring the event’s stature in the calendar for both competitors and fans around the world, including those in North America who follow the Championships closely.
In 2022, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Novak Djokovic of Serbia emerged as the tournament champions, while players from Russia and Belarus were not permitted to participate under the guidelines in place that year.
Russian players compete in international tournaments as neutral athletes following recommendations from the International Olympic Committee, which advised international bodies to restrict domestic athletes from competing under their national flags in response to broader geopolitical events.
Kasatkina has previously commented on the Russian reaction to Wimbledon’s 2022 ban, describing the mood and responses within the sport during that period, a topic that continues to be discussed as the tour moves forward on grass, hard courts, and clay around the world.