July 5th 2024.
After an impressive win over Maria Sakkari in the third round of Wimbledon 2024, Emma Raducanu is now preparing to face another tough opponent in the next round. The British wildcard, who is equaling her best run at the Championships, stunned the ninth-seeded Sakkari with a dominant 6-2 6-3 victory on Centre Court. And now, she is set to take on Lulu Sun, a qualifier ranked 123rd in the world, as she aims to reach her second ever Grand Slam quarter-final.
It was a remarkable performance from Raducanu against Sakkari, as she registered two breaks and saved five break points to take the first set in just 45 minutes. She was making far fewer unforced errors and winning more points on her second serve, which impressed her fellow British player Naomi Broady. In fact, Broady believed that Raducanu was operating at a much higher level than her opponent throughout the match.
As she moved a set up, Raducanu turned to her box and pumped her fist in celebration. And in the early stages of the second set, she couldn't contain her emotions any longer, letting out a loud "Come on!" after winning a crucial point. She then went on to break Sakkari's serve to love, edging closer to a fantastic victory. Broady noted that Sakkari was trying to avoid Raducanu's powerful forehand, but she simply couldn't handle it. In the end, the 21-year-old wrapped up the second set 6-3, securing her second-ever win over a top-10 player.
Raducanu's resurgence on the court is evident, as she has been in fine form since the start of the grass-court season. Despite her low ranking of 135 due to a long period of inactivity caused by injuries, she has been playing some of the best tennis of her career. In 2023, she only played 10 matches due to various injury issues, which required multiple surgical procedures and a lengthy recovery period. But now, she is back and better than ever.
Maria Sakkari, who was seeded ninth in the women's singles draw this year, was no match for Raducanu's impressive performance. The British player, who reached a career-high ranking of world No.10 two years ago, returned to the WTA Tour in January after some mixed results. She then made the decision to skip the French Open and focus entirely on the grass swing, a choice that has paid off massively for her.
Raducanu's rejuvenation on the court has been evident since June, when she reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open. She then continued her impressive form at Eastbourne, where she notched up a big win over world No.5 Jessica Pegula and reached the quarter-finals. While she may have downplayed her chances at Wimbledon this year, some experts have already tipped her for a deep run and a potential second major title.
But before she can even think about the final, Raducanu still needs to win three more matches, which will be no easy feat. The draw is filled with skilled and talented players, making each match a tough battle. However, Raducanu will be pleased to have a qualifier ranked 123rd in the world as her next opponent. Even if she doesn't make it to the quarter-finals, she has already equaled her best-ever run at Wimbledon, which she achieved on her debut in 2021. That was when she burst onto the tennis scene for the first time before going on to win the US Open later that year.
This is only Raducanu's third appearance in the women's singles main draw at Wimbledon, as she was forced to miss the 2023 tournament due to injury and lost in the second round in 2022. But with her current form and determination, anything is possible for the young British player.
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