Emma Raducanu Shines at Wimbledon
Raducanu's win over Vondrousova has boosted her confidence, and she will look to use her athleticism and craft to push Sabalenka to her limits on the grass courts of Wimbledon, where she feels she has her best chance of competing against the top players.
Emma Raducanu has returned to her best form at Wimbledon, defeating 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3 in the second round, producing 18 winners and a memorable passing shot winner that earned her the first break of the match.
Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, admitted it was one of her best matches in a long time and savored the win, saying it made everything worth it. Her victory marked her first win since her Grand Slam title in 2021 and came after a rankings freefall following her first-round exits at the 2022 Grand Slams. The 22-year-old will now face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, having also defeated Sabalenka in the 2021 US Open.
Raducanu's commitment to chasing every ball paid off, and she credited her success to her ability to stay committed and compete at a high level. However, she faces a daunting task as she takes on world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who has become the dominant player on the WTA Tour, with a powerful serve and lights-out baseline game. Sabalenka has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the past 10 Grand Slams she has played.
Other notable winners at Wimbledon include Novak Djokovic, who beat Dan Evans 6-3, 6-2, 6-0, and Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, who routed Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-1. The tournament is heating up, with several top players advancing to the next round, setting the stage for exciting matches in the coming days.