Wimbledon: Emma Raducanu ‘wins ugly like England’ against lucky loser Renata Zarazua to reach second round
Emma Raducanu comes through in straight sets against late replacement opponent Renata Zarazua but says: "It was an incredibly difficult match"; you can watch the Hamburg, Swiss and Palermo Open, exclusively live on Sky Sports Tennis following the conclusion of Wimbledon
Raducanu had been preparing to face 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, a big-hitting Russian who reached the fourth round here last year. But Alexandrova withdrew through illness on Monday morning, and instead Raducanu’s opponent was Zarazua, who had never won a tour-level match on grass and was making her main draw debut here.
Zarazua, ranked 98, has an unconventional game and she made life very tricky for Raducanu in the opening set but the 21-year-old dug in well to secure victory and become the first British winner at the tournament.
“It was an incredibly difficult match,” said Raducanu, before drawing comparisons with England’s laboured display over Slovakia at Euro 2024.
“It took a lot of strength to get over the line. All props to her. In the morning you’re not in the draw and then you’re playing in Centre Court.
“It took a little bit of adjusting and finding my feet. I just want to say thanks to everyone for the support. I’m incredibly happy to be back here of course. I was nervous for sure, I think people could see that in my tennis.
“Honestly, like watching the football last night, winning ugly… it all counts!”
Raducanu ‘motivated’ by England and Bellingham
Raducanu later said in her press conference that she had used England’s late rally against Slovakia as motivation – having had a hunch Gareth Southgate’s side would stay alive at the tournament.
Referring to a dramatic night on which Jude Bellingham equalised deep into stoppage-time before Harry Kane sealed victory, she said: “Last night, I had a feeling that they would still turn it around.
“The people I was watching with were like, ‘I don’t know’. It was getting to the 93rd minute. (I said), ‘I have a feeling, I have a feeling’. Then Jude (Bellingham) hit that insane goal.
“When I’m watching, I’m listening to the commentary, I can almost picture it. It’s just the way the story flips, depending on how the result is going.
“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.
“For circumstances to align, as long as you’re still in the tournament, you keep giving yourself that chance.”
