Emma Raducanu’s practice partner Liam Broady likened the young Brit to Roger Federer in a high-spirited training session on Sunday morning at Aorangi Park.
The 21-year-old is enjoying her best run at a Grand Slam since winning the US Open back in 2021.
She also appears to be enjoying her tennis once again with the young British star playing with a beaming smile on her face this grasscourt season.
New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun stands in Raducanu’s way of making it through to the quarter-final where the winner will face either Paula Badosa or Donna Vekic.
Emma Raducanu was on the practice courts with Liam Broady
REUTERS
The women’s draw has opened up significantly in the first week of the tournament with Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka withdrawing before the first round.
Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini are the only top-10 seeds left in the draw with Raducanu knocking out Maria Sakkari in the previous round.
It’s led to some suggestions that Raducanu could have a real chance of going deep in the tournament if she managed to maintain her current form.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, she was out on the practice courts just a few hours before her scheduled match against Sun.
And the British No 3 was in high spirits as she hit with compatriot Broady, who was full of compliments on the other side of the net.
At one stage, Broady joked that Raducanu reminded him of Federer for how well she was hitting the ball.
There were plenty of laughs before the practice session came to an end and Raducanu made her way out of Aorangi to get ready for her match.
She will be on Centre Court after Carlos Alcaraz’s match against Ugo Humbert.
Raducanu was originally set to play in the mixed doubles with Andy Murray on Saturday evening, but pulled out after feeling ‘stiffness’ in her wrist.
It led to some backlash for the young British star with Judy Murray appearing to take a swipe at her on social media.
Emma Raducanu’s spirits were high at Aorangi Park
REUTERS
Laura Robson, who won a silver medal alongside Andy Murray in the 2012 Olympics, feels Raducanu was well within her rights to withdraw given her position in the singles.
“It’s very normal, if you’re still in the singles, to prioritise the singles,” she said on BBC.
“Especially if you’ve had troubles with your body in the past.
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“Andy would know as well as anyone, you’ve got to have the main focus and that’s really as simple as it is.
“It would have been a very tough decision for sure, but at the end of the day you get one chance at potentially winning this tournament and you’ve got to make the most of it.
“Given she woke up yesterday feeling the wrist – I’ve had wrist surgery myself and it’s not easy – she’s managed her body so well over the grasscourt season so it wouldn’t be the time now that she’s in the second week to try and risk that.”