Emma Raducanu leaves Aryna Sabalenka saying 'we need to take action' after Brit's loss

Aryna Sabalenka confessed that her three-set thriller against British sensation Emma Raducanu left her feeling "old" and in need of her coach's assistance. The Belarusian emerged victorious from their gruelling match at the Cincinnati Open on Monday, defeating Raducanu 7-6 (6-2), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) in a contest that lasted over three hours.

The match was filled with twists and turns, but it was Sabalenka who triumphed in the nail-biting third-set tiebreak, securing her spot in the Round of 16 against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

This marked the 27-year-old's second victory over the 22-year-old in as many months, having previously defeated her in straight sets at Wimbledon before losing in the semi-finals to Amanda Anisimova.

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Despite falling short of victory this time, Raducanu did come much closer, with new coach Francisco Roig watching from the sidelines with the pair agreeing to a contract until the end of the year.

Following what was the fourth-longest match of her career, Sabalenka spoke to the about the toll the match took on her, particularly playing in the sweltering 31-degree heat.

"The whole time, this is what they call ageing," Sabalenka admitted. "I was like, 'This is what it feels like to be old'. I looked at Emma, and she was like pumped and ready to play the next point.

"I was there still trying to recover my breath, and I was like, 'What's going on?'", reports the Express. Despite only a five-year age gap between the tennis stars, Sabalenka confessed she had to reach out to her fitness coach, Jason Stacy, over concerns during the game.

She added: "I couldn't believe I was getting old, I looked at Jason [and] didn't say anything, but we need to do something because I'm getting old." When questioned about any changes in her preparation for her match against Bouzas, Sabalenka once again mentioned feeling the physical toll.

"Maybe we'll do extra recovery, a bit more stretching [and] mobility to make sure my old body will be able," she continued. "I'll be fighting and ready, but it just sucks feeling old."

Despite her loss, Raducanu remained upbeat about her performance, stating she's made progress since her defeat by Sabalenka last month. The Brit said: "She's world No. 1 for a reason. I pushed her more than I did at Wimbledon, so that's an improvement.

"Also, it was good to have this result on a hard court because it's very different to grass, and I've always thought grass suits me a lot more - and I still believe that. So to have pushed her on a hard court like that, I'm pretty proud."

Next up for Raducanu is the US OpenMixed Doubles, where she'll team up with Carlos Alcaraz before entering the Women's Singles at Flushing Meadows.

It was four years ago that she clinched her first Grand Slam title at just 18 years of age. With the triumph, Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam tournament in the Open Era.