Wimbledon: Emma Raducanu defeats Maria Sakkari to ease into the fourth round
A clinical Emma Raducanu conjured memories of her stunning US Open win by defeating ninth seed Maria Sakkari to ease into the fourth round at Wimbledon. Raducanu had thumped Sakkari in the semi-finals in New York, and she again lost only five games under the roof on Centre Court, reminding the tennis world of her rare talent in a 6-2 6-3 victory.
Having not beaten a top-10 player in her career, the 21-year-old has now done it twice in a fortnight, as well as matching her best run at the All England Club from her breakthrough event three years ago. “I think today was really up there with the most fun I’ve had on the tennis court. I really enjoyed every single moment,” said Raducanu. “I told myself: ‘How many times in your life are you going to get to play in front of a full Centre Court?’
“I think I’m most proud of how I was so focused and determined on every single point and every single moment.
“I knew, playing Maria – she’s a top-10 opponent – I had to battle and fight hard. She’s so tough and has amazing weapons. I kind of saw it as a free swing. “You just have to play every point like it could be your last.” The British wild card will next face qualifier Lulu Sun, ranked 123 in the world, for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
She played down the parallels between this fortnight and New York after swatting aside Elise Mertens in the last round, but there certainly are some, not least the fact she arrived here feeling confident and with plenty of wins under her belt. Over the last month she has reached her first grass-court semi-final in Nottingham and then beat a top-10 player for the first time, seeing off Jessica Pegula in Eastbourne.
Sakkari pointed out in a rather prickly fashion ahead of the contest that it is she rather than Raducanu who has been among the best players in the world for the last three years. But she has also struggled at the Grand Slams since making the last four in New York and came into Wimbledon having won just one match in her last five major tournaments. An error-strewn first game from the Greek, who has never been beyond the third round here, gave Raducanu an immediate break of serve, while the big difference between the two was their handling of the big points.
Raducanu was exceptional, saving five break points across three games in the first set, one with an ace and another a searing forehand down the line. She had Sakkari at 0-40 in the fifth game without managing to break but found the cushion she was looking for when an Andy Murray-esque lob landed on the baseline to give her a 5-2 lead. Sakkari had two more chances in the next game but again Raducanu was rock solid, and there was an air of real excitement around Centre Court when she secured another break to lead 2-1 in the second set.
Errors were flowing again from the racket of a frustrated Sakkari, who vented in exasperation at her support box as Raducanu survived another close game, saving two more break points, one with a second-serve ace. Sakkari saved two match points serving at 3-5 but sent a forehand wide on the third to leave Raducanu grinning in delight.
Raducanu on her form: ‘It’s all about winning the day’
“Well I think just having your inner passion. Win or lose, every day I’m just trying to win the day,” she said.
“Different days mean different things. Getting out on the court can sometimes be winning the day. “Sometimes you win the day and you play amazing tennis. It’s give and take.”
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