EMMA'S A No.1 HIT

Court rises and salutes brilliant Raducanu win

- CHRIS MCKENNA

NOT since Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021 has she been victorious two games in a row at a Grand Slam.

The British star disagreed it was her best performance since she lifted that title three years ago but the confidence and swagger will give a glimmer of hope to those craving home glory at SW19 this summer.

Raducanu, 21, breezed past Belgium’s Elise Mertens and into the third round for just the second time with a 6-1 6-2 win.

She didn’t even remember until reminded afterwards that this was the first time she was back on Court 1 since her fourth-round retirement against Ajla Tomljanovic due to breathing difficulties in 2021.

The match she most remembers from that year is her third-round encounter with Sorana Cirstea on the same court.