Emma Raducanu didn’t delve too deeply into Tim Henman’s predictions, expressing contentment with potentially winning her Wimbledon opener.
Earlier this month, former top-ranked British male tennis player Henman tipped Raducanu and Katie Boulter to do well at this year’s Wimbledon, predicting they could reach the round of 16 at The All England Club.
Leading up to Wimbledon, Raducanu had promising results, being a semifinalist in Nottingham and making the quarterfinals at the WTA 500 tournament there. These performances led to the 21-year-old Brit being mentioned positively ahead of the third Grand Slam of the season.
At her pre-tournament press conference at Wimbledon, where she made the round of 16 as a wildcard in her Grand Slam debut three years ago, Raducanu addressed Henman’s prediction. She is set to play No. 22 seed and two-time grass titlist Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round.
“If I get through my first round, I’d be over the moon. Tim has higher expectations, I guess,” Raducanu commented.
Raducanu is not putting too much pressure on herself but feels well-prepared. After missing the French Open and being out of action for a month and a half, she started her grass season by making her first WTA semifinal since 2022. She also gained attention in Eastbourne after defeating 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and world No. 5 Jessica Pegula for her first top-5 win before falling short to eventual Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinal.
Heading into her third Wimbledon main draw, Raducanu feels fully ready. “I would say that recently I haven’t been injured. I feel very confident in my body. I was able to play three matches at a high level last week and come out physically unscathed.
I think I’m in a really good place. Last year I did a good chunk of work at the end of the year to get back and healthy. I’ve continued that work on throughout this year. I feel good in my body. There’s no doubts,” she said.
This year, Raducanu’s preparation for Wimbledon has been the best she’s had for a Grand Slam. “Yeah, I would say this preparation has worked out really well. I got a great balance between matches, but also staying fresh and not playing too much.
I think the Eastbourne week, it was really helpful in getting some top-level matches, and also to get a really good win in the second round. Yeah, my best win to date. I think I should take a lot of confidence from that,” Raducanu explained.
After missing last year’s Wimbledon due to surgeries on her wrists and left ankle, Raducanu made a comeback at the start of this season and has not had any serious injuries or setbacks.
“I think the biggest win for me is I was able to play three matches back to back. Today physically I actually felt fine. It wasn’t to do with anything being in pain and three high-level matches,” she said after finishing her Eastbourne run.
