'Winning ugly' Raducanu evokes Three Lions spirit

It’s been two years since Emma Raducanu – 2021’s breakthrough British sporting star – strode out onto the Wimbledon stage with the weight of an expectant crowd on her shoulders.

- KIERAN JACKSON

Back then, she was impacted by a side strain and was outplayed in the second round. Last year, she spent her SW19 fortnight away from the courts, entertaining guests in the hospitality areas in a role she insisted pre-tournament “really stung”. Yet after 24 months of setbacks and surgeries, the 21-year-old was back on the pristine grass of the All England Club.

Drawn to face 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, her secondmatch Centre Court billing promised to be a genuine litmus test of where her game is right now. Yet a late withdrawal from the Russian due to illness handed the wild card a lucky loser in the form of Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. On paper, it seemed a gift from the tennis gods as she eyed a smooth progression to round two.

But the reality was quite the opposite: this was no cakewalk. Under the gloomy skies of southwest London, Raducanu misfired and miscued. One minute she found her rhythm, the next she lost it. The ebbs and flows were continuous; however, ultimately, Raducanu staggered through an awkward test of nerve, perseverance and 30 unforced errors in straight sets, 76(0), 6-3.

Afterwards, Raducanu, who practised while wearing an England shirt on Sunday, admitted her performance paid homage to Gareth Southgate’s team after their last-gasp Euro 2024 win against Slovakia. David Beckham, sitting next to his mother in the Royal Box, could not help but chuckle.

“It was an incredibly difficult match,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever played a defender who keeps getting the ball back on the line. it took a lot of strength to get over the line.