Emma Raducanu brushed aside Elise Mertens at Wimbledon to reach the third round of a grand slam for the first time since her US Open triumph.
Back on Court One for the first time since her breakthrough run to the fourth round here three years ago ahead of that historic New York fortnight, Raducanu seized control from the start and raced to a 6-1 6-2 victory.
In 2021, the occasion was ultimately too much for the then teenager and she retired with breathing difficulties against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Raducanu has lived a veritable lifetime of experiences since then, many of them negative, but has had a smile plastered on her face at the All England Club this year and appears finally at ease with her place in the sport.
If she can maintain the form she showed against Belgian Mertens, ranked one place outside the seedings at 33, she could yet do some serious damage in this tournament.
Many of the games were close but, on the key points, it was Raducanu who came up with the moments of magic, be that a precision lob, a knifed drop shot or the sort of searing groundstrokes with which she made her name.
Playing under the roof on a grey, drizzly day, Raducanu lit up Court One with a run of five games in a row to start the match.
She broke the Mertens serve in the second game with a drop shot that her opponent, the world number one in doubles and a former Australian Open semi-finalist, could only net.
Raducanu then saved a break point to make it 3-0 and broke again with a forehand pass on to the sideline. Mertens finally got on the scoreboard to prevent a love set but Raducanu withstood more pressure to maintain her momentum, clinching it with a big serve.
When 28-year-old Mertens recovered from 0-40 in the opening game of the second set, it could have been a crucial moment, but Raducanu simply raised her level even higher.
A backhand pass drilled beyond Mertens gave her the break for 2-1, and from there she did not look back, bouncing to the net in jubilation after her opponent’s final return drifted long.
“I feel so, so welcome here,” said Raducanu. “Court One is my favourite court. I think I played some really good tennis today, I’m really pleased. I’m over the moon to be playing here and just to extend my stay by one more day.
“I knew all the hard yards and the hard work I’ve been doing would lead to something and I’m just so happy to reap some of the rewards in Wimbledon.”
PA
Raducanu cruises to victory, as it happened
07:16 PM BST
Delight for Emma
07:13 PM BST
Raducanu’s path to the semi-final
Don’t want to get ahead of myself but there is no one in Raducanu’s side of the draw who she should fear. I’d go as far as to say it would be a disappointment not to reach the last four.
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Third Round: Sakkari or Rus
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Fourth Round: Pavlyuchenkova, Sun, Zhu or Starodubtseva
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Quarter-Finals: Kasatkina, Yastremska, Miyazaki, Badosa, Fruhvirtova, Gracheva, Vekic or Andreeva
07:04 PM BST
Social media reaction
Amazing to see Emma Raducanu doing well again. Superstar girl, great personality… who knows what she can achieve this year.
Class act all round.#Wimbledon2024
— Danny O’Neill ⭐ ⭐ (@DONeill90) July 3, 2024
After all the injury problems. Surgeries, gutsy display and an excellent display from Emma Raducanu! She played excellently against a much higher ranked opponent. She is really is finding her rhythm again and it’s great to see. Hope this continues. 👏🏻 🎾
— Craig David (@craigbryandavid) July 3, 2024
Proper performance from Raducanu.
Aggressive and relentless 💪
— Luke Summers (@Luke9S) July 3, 2024
Superb from Raducanu. Looking back to her very best. #Wimbledon
— Danny Brothers (@dannybrothers) July 3, 2024
06:55 PM BST
Raducanu on playing mixed doubles with Murray
My doubles record isn’t the longest or the most vast but I couldn’t say no, it’s a dream of mine since I was a young girl watching the Olympics. Andy’s a hero so for me it’s a real gift and honour that he asked me.
My doubles record isn’t exactly the longest or most vast, I couldn’t say no, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, it’s a dream of mine since I was a girl.
Andy is a hero to all of us, for me it’s a real gift, and a real honour that he asked me and it’s a moment I could never say no to, and I’m super excited to be on a mixed doubles court and learn about coming to the net or something.
06:45 PM BST
Raducanu reacts
I feel so so welcome here and Court 1 is my favourite court. I think I played some really good tennis today, I’m really pleased. I’m over the moon to be playing here and just to extend my stay by one more day. With the roof closed it was super loud and I’m really appreciative to everyone for making a lot of noise.
I think the most important thing is focusing on myself, I did that really well today, I took care of my business. I think I’m playing really good tennis and I’m really happy with all the improvements that I’ve made.
06:37 PM BST
Who will Raducanu play next?
Raducanu will face either ninth seed Maria Sakkari or Dutch player Arantxa Rus in third round on Friday.
06:31 PM BST
‘Raducanu’s most complete performance since the fairytale of New York’
That was surely Emma Raducanu’s most complete performance since the fairytale of New York. She was so dialled-in with her down-the-line backhand that the crowd almost gave her a mid-game standing ovation at one stage. If she keeps up this standard, she could soon be stealing the headlines from Gareth Southgate.
06:29 PM BST
Watch: Ruthless Raducanu destroys Mertens
06:23 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 Mertens*
‘Come on’ screams Raducanu after another of her backhands is too hot for Mertens, 15-15. She then wrong foots Mertens with a backhand winner down the line, 30-15.
Ace Raducanu brings up two match points. Mertens forehand return long. GAME SET MATCH RADUCANU.
06:19 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 5-2 Mertens
Given her excellence at the net, it is a surprise Mertens hasn’t attacked the net more. Trying to beat Raducanu from the baseline has not worked today.
But she holds here to 15 to prolong this match a little further. Raducanu will serve for it next.
06:17 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 5-1 Mertens*
Everything is coming off Raducanu’s racket beautifully today and Mertens has no answer. She has been blown away by the Briton.
Another backhand winner by Raducanu gets an extended round of applause from the Court 1 crowd, 40-15.
And she moves a game away from the third round when Mertens’ return goes long.
06:13 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 4-1 Mertens
Raducanu is putting on a show here and she breaks for the second time with a lovely drop shot winner that Mertens barely moves for.
The Belgian isn’t coming back from this.
06:09 PM BST
‘Raducanu is unleashing the full range of artillery’
Return winners, delicious lobs, lethal passing shots: Raducanu is unleashing the full range of artillery against Mertens. The regular cries of “come on Radders, let’s go” from her support team seem to be working wonders. As a clinic in grasscourt craft, this is difficult to beat at the moment.
06:08 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 3-1 Mertens*
Before the tournament, Raducanu said she was enjoying her tennis again and we are seeing that on full display here.
She hits a gorgeous drop volley, then gets down low to hit a backhand winner down the line and finishes the game with an ace.
Wow.
06:03 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 2-1 Mertens
Brilliant from Raducanu as she blasts a forehand return down the line for a winner, 15-30. Mertens sprays a backhand into the tramlines and it is two break points for Raducanu.
Raducanu goes for too much with a backhand on the first. Will she take the second? YES SHE WILL!
Raducanu’s return is short, Mertens should finish the rally but she doesn’t do enough and Raducanu stretches to hit a brilliant backhand pass.
Raducanu breaks!
05:58 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 1-1 Mertens*
‘Come on’ from Raducanu after a crushing backhand winner, 15-15. And she continues to look comfortable on her serve, holding when Mertens nets a forehand return.
05:54 PM BST
Second Set: Raducanu* 6-1, 0-1 Mertens
Raducanu’s dominance continues and Mertens’ struggles go on at the start of the second set. Raducanu gets three break points at 0-40.
She can’t take the first two and not the third either after Mertens hits her best forehand of the day.
Andy Murray would have been proud of that by Raducanu as she lifts a lovely lob over Mertens’ head.
Raducanu is all over Mertens, who is scrambling to stay in the rally, and then produces another improbable forehand winner.
Mertens hangs on to her serve well.
05:47 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1 Mertens*
Break point for Mertens, who has finally arrived on Court 1 and is starting to put pressure on Raducanu.
Mertens tries a drop shot, Raducanu sees it early and takes off after it, she gets there and calmly flicks a backhand down the line, deuce.
Mertens dumps a forehand into the net, set point after 36 minutes. Big first serve Raducanu, Mertens’ return is wide and Raducanu completes a very impressive set of tennis.
05:42 PM BST
Raducanu* 5-1 Mertens
First sign of Mertens’ prowess at the net as she closes the net expertly and finishes the point with a volley winner to finally get on the scoreboard.
05:36 PM BST
‘Raducanu is showing signs of US Open 2021’
It could be tempting fate even suggesting this, but Raducanu is showing signs of the dominant frontrunning that enabled her to tear through the 2021 US Open draw like a buzzsaw. High on confidence, she is achieving perfect depth with her groundstrokes here, racing to a 5-0 first-set lead in just 27 minutes.
05:35 PM BST
Raducanu 5-0 Mertens*
Much like Nadal did against Federer when he attacked his backhand, Raducanu continues to give Mertens’ forehand a real going over.
Raducanu will have to be careful with becoming too predictable but so far the plan is working and despite being pushed to deuce, she sees out the game to move a step closer to the set.
05:30 PM BST
Raducanu* 4-0 Mertens
Raducanu is enjoying herself out there. She is playing with confidence, dictating from the baseline and is tactically spot on.
She has identified the weakness in Mertens’ forehand and she is looking for it with every groundstroke.
Mertens nets a forehand and it’s 15-40. The Belgian saves the first with wrong footing backhand winner. But not the second.
Raducanu approaches the net with a backhand but it is not well placed and Raducanu punishes her with a forehand cross court winner.
Double break secured!
05:24 PM BST
Raducanu 3-0 Mertens*
It is never a break if you don’t consolidate and Raducanu is facing a break point after going long with a forehand. Relief for Raducanu after Mertens slices a backhand into the net, deuce.
Mertens blasts a forehand wide and Raducanu does consolidate the break. Well recovered.
05:21 PM BST
‘Raducanu’s first appearance on Court No 1 since 2021’
This is Raducanu’s first appearance on Court No 1 since her fourth-round defeat to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in 2021. That proved to be a nightmarish evening, as she was forced to withdraw with a mid-match anxiety attack, accompanied by breathing difficulties.
So far there are precious few signs of those grim memories being reawakened as she takes the early break against Elise Mertens.
05:19 PM BST
Raducanu* 2-0 Mertens
Ash Barty on commentary says Raducanu should target Mertens’ forehand with slice. Let’s see if that is part of her tactics today.
Heavy hitting from Mertens but she goes long with a forehand and that gives Raducanu two break points. Raducanu wastes the first with a wild forehand. Can she take the second?
Raducanu looks to be in control and she gets the short ball that she wants but she nets a forehand. Big chance missed.
But she gets another look at a break point when Mertens whips a forehand long. Raducanu drop shot, its not great and Mertens gets there easily but she slices into the net. Bad error. Radcanu won’t care because she breaks.
05:12 PM BST
First Set: Emma Raducanu 1-0 Elise Mertens* (*denotes next server)
We are under the roof on Court 1 which adds a different feel to the match conditions.
There’s no wind of course but still Raducanu double faults to slip to 0-30. Early pressure on her serve here.
Credit to the Briton, she finds her first serve and that moves her to 40-30. A raised fist towards her camp by Raducanu as she holds when Mertens nets a backhand.
That should settle any early nerves.
05:06 PM BST
Here we go!
04:54 PM BST
Who is Elise Mertens?
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Ranked 33rd in the world
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Reached a career high 13th in the world in 2018
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Her best result at Wimbledon was the fourth round in 2022
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She’s won eight singles titles
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The Belgian is ranked world No 1 in doubles.
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Her fastest serve was 119mph in 2023 in Miami
04:49 PM BST
Raducanu: ‘It’s about getting over the line’
Raducanu, who missed last year’s tournament following wrist and ankle surgeries, found a way through her first round match, winning 7-6 (0), 6-3.
Afterwards, she revealed she had taken inspiration from England’s scrappy win over Slovakia at Euro 2024, saying:
For sure, I sympathise with the players who are being told they need to play a lot better, need to play perfect.
I think at the end of the day it’s about getting over the line. Today I used it as motivation.
It doesn’t need to be beautiful, it doesn’t need to be perfect. As long as you get through the opening rounds, you give yourself another chance to play better.
04:27 PM BST
Raducanu bidding for third round
All the talk around SW19 today has of course been about the announcement of the blockbusting all-British mixed doubles pairing of Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray later this week.
What a story that will be, with the outgoing hero of British tennis over the last two decades teaming up for a final hurrah with one of the sport’s most shiny young talents, who is already a crossover global star.
But Raducanu’s team will have thought hard about ensuring her focus on going deep in the singles is not broken and this evening she takes the next step on that path.
After delighting Centre Court on Monday after a two-year absence, with a 7-6, 6-3 win over the awkward Mexican Renata Zarazua, she made the fans chuckle with a smart reference to the England football team.
“Honestly [after] watching the football last night it was [about] winning ugly,” she quipped, in reference to England’s uninspiring and somewhat lucky round-of-16 win over Slovakia at Euro 2024.
Of her return to Wimbledon, Raducanu added: “It took a little bit of adjusting to find my feet. I was nervous, I’m sure everyone could see that in my tennis.”
Today Raducanu will eye a place in the third round when she returns to action at the All England Club.
The former US Open champion will be on Court One for the first time since her breakthrough run at the 2021 Championships, taking on world No 33 Elise Mertens in the final match scheduled on that court.
Belgian Mertens, who is ranked No 1 in doubles, has reached a high of No 12 in the singles rankings.
The 28-year-old’s best performance at Wimbledon is reaching the round of 16 – in 2022 and 2019 – but she reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2018 and the US Open quarter-finals in 2019 and 2020.
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