Raducanu Relishes SW19 Return Despite No Great Expectations

Tough draw and an off-court problem mean British No 1 is taking it one match at a time

- Simon Cambers

Being Emma Raducanu is not the easiest task. For all the positives that come with achieving fame early, as she did after her stunning US Open triumph as an 18-year-old in 2021, the obligations and attention can be intense. Invariably when she plays her photo is splashed on the back pages and her every move is scrutinized. At Wimbledon the attention grows exponentially and nothing is off limits, as Raducanu discovered when she batted away questions about a possible romance with Carlos Alcaraz, a longtime friend, with whom she will play mixed doubles at the US Open.

As Andy Murray learned over many years, dealing with all that takes experience and patience. No wonder, then, that Raducanu says she is not looking much further than her first-round battle with the 17-year-old Welsh player Mimi Xu today. "Truthfully I don't expect much from myself this year," she said on the eve of the event.

"I know I've been dealing with certain things. I just want to go out there and embrace the moment. I want to embrace the occasion. I know there's not many opportunities to be playing at Wimbledon. You get it once a year and for a finite amount of time. I'm just looking forward to going out there and feeling the surroundings and the atmosphere."