Sport | Tennis Emma Raducanu is playing with zero expectations at this year’s Wimbledon, two years after her last appearance in the main draw. Raducanu won on her return to Centre Court 7-6, 6-3 over Renata Zarazua , which she called winning ugly and likened to England’s 2-1 victory over Slovakia at the Euros. It set up a second-round encounter against the experienced Belgian Elise Mertens on Wednesday.
But the Briton said: “I have no expectations. I just have expectations of myself to really put myself on the line on the court and fight, and not let any frustrations get to me. “As I said in the first press conference, I’d be over the moon if I won my first round here.
And I really am. I feel just the joy to be on site, the joy to be part of the buzz. I’m really just enjoying myself.
“I think that each match I win should be celebrated a lot...
because I know how hard matches are to win, to come by. Having had a few wins under my belt, I’m really cherishing every single one because I know how difficult it is to be on the flip side of it.” Raducanu had been due to play No22 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round before the Russian pulled out on Monday morning with illness.
Zarazua then stepped into the draw as a lucky loser. The last time Raducanu was drawn against a lucky loser in a first-round match was when she won the US Open back in 2021 but downplayed it as any sort of omen. The 21-year-old said she had no issues in subsequent rounds of following Garet.
