British No. 1 Emma Raducanu delivered one of her finest performances in recent memory to defeat 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets and book her place in the Wimbledon third round.
The 22-year-old was in commanding form on Centre Court, producing a sharp, confident display to seal a 6-3, 6-3 victory in just 82 minutes, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Raducanu, a former US Open champion, will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the next round — a significant test as she aims to equal her best Wimbledon run, having reached the fourth round in both 2021 and 2024.
“I think today I played really, really well. There were some points where I honestly don’t know how I turned them around,” Raducanu said in her on-court interview.
“Facing Marketa, who’s won this tournament, I knew it would be tough. I’m just really pleased with how I stuck to my game plan throughout.”
Her victory followed earlier wins for Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie, making Raducanu the third British player to reach the third round on Wednesday. The women’s draw also opened up further as Jasmine Paolini, the 2024 finalist, became the fourth top-five seed to crash out before the third round — leaving only Sabalenka still in contention among the top five.
Commenting on her upcoming clash with the Belarusian top seed, Raducanu said, “She’s the world No. 1 and so dominant — she’s literally won everything. It’s going to be really difficult. But there’s no pressure on me. I’ll just focus on my side of the court and give it everything.”
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A Return to Form
Raducanu’s confident showing comes after a gradual resurgence this season. Having returned to the top 40 after starting the year ranked 303rd following surgeries on both wrists and her left ankle, the Briton is enjoying a renewed sense of freedom and focus on court.
Her Wimbledon preparations weren’t perfect — she suffered an early loss to Australian teenager Maya Joint in Eastbourne and admitted she needed to get her “head in the game.” But after a smooth opening-round win over compatriot Mimi Xu, she looked sharp and fearless against Vondrousova.
After breaking the Czech in the sixth game with a blistering passing shot, Raducanu regained control after an immediate response from her opponent and closed out the first set 6-3. She maintained her intensity in the second, breaking early for a 2-1 lead and fending off two break points in a gritty hold that delighted the Centre Court crowd.
Raducanu’s consistency on serve and her aggressive intent — areas she and coach Mark Petchey have worked hard on — were evident as she closed out the match with another break to seal an impressive win.
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Statement Victory
This win marks Raducanu’s first over Vondrousova, having lost their previous two encounters. Her Czech opponent, despite injury concerns, had come into Wimbledon in strong form, lifting the Berlin Open title by beating five top-50 players — including Sabalenka.
But against a rejuvenated Raducanu, she was simply outclassed.
With her confidence soaring and the crowd firmly behind her, Raducanu now prepares for one of the most anticipated matches of her career — a showdown with the world’s top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka, on Friday.
