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Emma Raducanu Ready for Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon: "No Pressure"

Emma Raducanu is carefree after beating Markéta Vondroušová in the second round of Wimbledon.
Pat Benson|
Emma Raducanu is optimistic heading into her match against Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon.
Emma Raducanu is optimistic heading into her match against Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon. | IMAGO / Colorsport

On Wednesday afternoon, Emma Raducanu defeated Markéta Vondroušová in the second round of Wimbledon: 6-3, 6-3. Raducanu was beaming after her victory, even knowing she will face WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.

The top-ranked British tennis star was sharp in front of her home crowd. She hit two aces and zero double faults, winning points on 68% of her first serves. Raducanu was clutch, going 4/11 on break points compared to Vondroušová's 1/5.

After the match, Raducanu seemed noticeably relieved. "I think today I played really, really well. There were some points I have no idea how I turned around."

She continued, "I knew playing Marketa it was going to be an extremely difficult match. She's won this tournament, and it's a huge, huge achievement. I'm so happy with how I focused and put my game on the court."

"I'm just so happy I get to play another match here. [Sabalenka] is number one in the world, so dominant, has won literally everything. I'm just so happy how I performed. I guess there's no pressure at all on me," Raducanu concluded with a laugh.

Since winning her one Grand Slam (and only WTA title) at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has dealt with injuries and a revolving door of coaches. Despite all of her challenges, Raducanu is enjoying her best season in years.

Given how Raducanu is playing and the record number of upsets at Wimbledon, she should feel carefree against Sabalenka. The two will meet in the third round on Friday, July 4.

Raducanu entered Wimbledon as the World No. 40 and improved to 18-13 after today's win. Meanwhile, Sabalenka beat Marie Bouzková earlier today in straight sets.

The number of upsets was not lost on Sabalenka, who spoke on the issue after her match. "It's very sad to see so many top players lose in the first round. But you gotta focus on yourself and do your job. I hope there is no more upsets in this tournament... if you know what I mean".

Sabalenka is 1-0 against Raducanu on the tour level, winning their only prior match at Indian Wells in 2024.

Wimbledon continues play through July 13. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all your news from the tennis court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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