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?'”
The British wild card will next face qualifier Lulu Sun, ranked 123 in the world, for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Kartal’s Wimbledon run comes to an end
Sonay Kartal’s impressive Wimbledon campaign ended in the third round after a straight-sets loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff (left)
Sonay Kartal’s impressive Wimbledon campaign ended in the third round after a straight-sets loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff.
World No 298 Kartal only won three games at the All England Club last year but managed more than that against Gauff and even broke the American in the first set on Court One.
Kartal held her own in several long rallies before Gauff eventually proved too strong with a 6-4 6-0 victory, but the British No 9 could be proud of her week’s work in SW19, which has pocketed her £143,000 in prize money and memories to last a lifetime.
No obvious nerves appeared on show from the 22-year-old though, who had admirably tried to keep up with Gauff’s powerful-hitting and duly did when the American sent her backhand long after a 15-shot rally to get Kartal on the scoreboard.
Big cheers greeted the hold and a 104mph ace helped secure another before the home favourite fashioned two break points in the seventh game.
Gauff sent down a double-fault to get the first set back on serve, but consecutive backhand winners by the world No 2, the first after a successful challenge, was enough to earn her a break back.
The 39-minute opener was closed out with an ace and a wild forehand by Kartal gifted Gauff a break at the start of the second set.
It was largely one-way traffic after but Kartal delighted the crowd by saving three break points in the fifth game of the second set.
Second seed Gauff did eventually seal the break and an ace ended Kartal’s fine run before she exited Court One to rapturous applause.
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