Teenage sensation Mimi Xu insists she CAN beat British No 1 Emma Raducanu as the pair prepare to face off at Wimbledon
Mimi Xu, aged all of 17, will take to one of Wimbledon 's premier courts on Monday to play her childhood hero Emma Raducanu - and she will do so fully believing she can win.
'Recently I've been playing really well,' said Xu, the Welsh daughter of Chinese parents. 'My game really suits grass, I'm really confident in my game at the moment. So I'm gonna go out there, enjoy every moment, give it a good go. I believe I've got a good chance if I do all that.'
Xu is right to be confident. She has had a fantastic few weeks, reaching the quarter-finals in Birmingham and recording a debut WTA Tour win in Nottingham. And Raducanu is still contending with the lingering effects of a back spasm.
'We were moving into an Airbnb this morning,' said Xu, 'and I get a message from my coach, 'What an exciting draw'. And then my mum's getting messages saying: 'That's so good, so exciting' - but none of them were saying the name.
'I'm like: 'Oh my gosh, what is the draw? Who am I playing?' Eventually someone told me I'm playing Emma. I feel like I'm really ready for it. I'm really excited for it.'
For players of Xu's age - she is part of a golden generation, with 16-year-old colleagues Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavlevic also making their debuts this week - Raducanu's US Open title in 2021 made her a hero.
'I was at Loughborough (one of the LTA's high performance centres, where Xu trains and studies) when she was playing the US Open final, me and the other girls were huddled around the TV,' recalled Xu. 'S he's a really good role model to have.
'The first time I hit with her was probably three years ago and she was really nice. She's a lovely person.'
Xu and Raducanu have more in common than prodigious tennis ability. Both have Chinese heritage - Raducanu through her mother's side, while Xu's parents are both from China - and both are top students.
Xu did maths A Level last year - two years early - and will do economics next year; the same A Levels Raducanu did. Xu is also doing biology - she sat two exams the day after matches in Birmingham and Nottingham.
In terms of A Levels, then, Xu will soon have Raducanu pipped by three to two. Can she also overcome her on the court?
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Scottish Sun
31 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Wimbledon champion Annabel Croft on downsizing after her husband's sudden death & the truth behind new man rumours
From Centre Court to heartache – Annabel Croft on love, loss, and the lifeline that was Strictly LOVE GAME Ex-Wimbledon champion Annabel Croft on downsizing after her husband's sudden death & the truth behind new man rumours Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Former tennis champ and broadcasting royalty Annabel Croft on downsizing after the loss of her husband, why Strictly was a lifeline, and who to watch at Wimbledon Annabel Croft is in a taxi on her way home after a corporate speaking engagement, fresh from a day of commentating at London's Queen's Club. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Annabel is one of the BBC's top tennis presenters, covering tournaments worldwide – including Wimbledon, which starts tomorrow Credit: Mark Hayman 6 Annabel with her late husband Mel 6 Annabel reflects on her Strictly 2023 training, which began just weeks after losing husband Mel to cancer Credit: BBC It's 8:45pm, yet the former tennis pro is still brimming with energy. Is stamina her superpower? 'It does feel a bit like that,' she laughs. 'But this is peak season for me – and I love it.' As one of the BBC's most respected faces of tennis programming, Annabel covers tournaments around the globe including the Wimbledon Championships, which start tomorrow. And the day before she steps on to Centre Court to host the trophy ceremony for a third year running, Annabel will celebrate her 59th birthday, plus a major milestone in her sporting career. 'I'll be 59 on the penultimate day of Wimbledon, and that marks 50 years since I first picked up a racket at the age of nine,' she says, remembering the first time she gave tennis a go during a family holiday to Spain in 1975. She went on to win junior versions of Wimbledon and the Australian Open and represented Great Britain in the Federation Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup), becoming one of the world's Top 25 players, before quitting at 21 after growing tired of travelling the world alone. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now I'm on my own' Today, 38 years on, Annabel is encountering similar feelings again, two years since losing her husband Mel, 60, to cancer. At the five-bedroom family home that Mel built, she occupies just the kitchen and her bedroom, saying she no longer 'needs very much'. 'It's taken me back to living on my own before Mel came into my life, as that 15-year-old playing at Wimbledon for the first time, travelling the world on planes and across America on Greyhound buses. 'I've gone full circle to that person, because I've had to,' says Annabel, who has spent the past few months sorting and decluttering in readiness to move. I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need. 'The house has been my life for 25 years. Everything about it is Mel, because he built it. We've had amazing memories here that are impossible to forget, but I'm ready to go,' she says, admitting she is looking forward to 'simplifying' her life. Strictly fans can't believe Annabel Croft's 'real age' as she stuns with cartwheel in tiny 60s minidress' 'What gives me pleasure is going for a morning walk in the park, running with my friends, having a coffee, a meal out and being with my family. "I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need.' Annabel's journey with America's Cup yachtsman Mel began in 1987, when they met filming BBC yachting series Cudmore's Call, when she was just 21. "The pair went on to have three children, Amber, now 31, Charlie, 29, and Lily, 27. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now it's a weird thing to be doing [life] on my own,' she says. 'I just walk into an empty house, so I try to trick my brain into thinking about when Mel was out at a work function and I'd come into the house on my own. Only, every night it is like this. 'Thankfully, I'm busy – that's always been the same and that's helpful.' Annabel remembers the days and nights she devoted to training during the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing soon after losing Mel, who died in May 2023, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. Partnered with South African dancer and choreographer Johannes Radebe, 38, the pair reached the semi-finals and the BBC show became a lifeline and welcome distraction. 'I wish I could find some way of replacing Strictly in my life in terms of what that show was to me. "It was so special and joyful,' she says, choosing not to be drawn on recent Strictly controversies, specifically surrounding pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who quit over bullying claims. Since then, duty-of-care measures have been introduced, including a 24-hour helpline and chaperones in rehearsal rooms. 'I think having a permanent chaperone would have been quite restrictive [when it comes to building] the relationship between you and the dancer,' says Annabel. 'I would have found it quite awkward, but if that's what you know, then that's all you know.' Annabel speaks regularly to Johannes, who she says she 'adores'. But what of the friend she shared a lunch date with in April, sparking speculation of a new romantic connection? 'He's my bank manager and a great friend who was also close to Mel,' sighs Annabel. 'We were looking at photographs of Mel together. Mel adored him and he's been really helpful to me.' 'Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer' Family is everything to Annabel – and now, that family is growing. In September, her eldest daughter Amber will welcome her first child. 'It feels like yesterday that I was cradling my baby [Amber] in my arms, feeding her, bathing her and taking her to nursery school. "I can't believe that same baby is now having a baby herself!' says Annabel, who hopes the birth will be before her nationwide speaking tour starts. 6 Annabel made history at 15 when she became the youngest Brit in nearly a century to play in the Wimbledon main draw Credit: Mark Hayman 'I leave on September 24, so I hope the baby isn't late because I want to be supporting with cooking and helping out. Amber was 10 days early, so I'm hoping that her baby will be, too!' Amber married husband Hector last summer and, in August, it's son Charlie's turn to tie the knot. But Annabel will not be imparting marital advice. 'I can't bear hearing people talking about how to make a marriage work,' she says. 'If you have to try and make it work, there's something wrong. "Marriage should just be, and if you're compatible with somebody and enjoy their company, you go on the journey together.' I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer. Raised in Kent by her club-level-tennis-playing dad James, a chartered surveyor, and mum Susan, a housewife, Annabel was hooked from the moment she first picked up that racket aged nine. 'I remember gazing out of maths class at the sports pitches, because all I wanted to do was to be out there. "I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer,' she says. This summer, with women's sport sitting front and centre of a blockbuster line-up of events, Annabel hopes young girls feel inspired, just as she was watching tennis rivals Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. 'From women's tennis returning to the Queen's Club for the first time in 50 years and players excelling at Wimbledon, to the Lionesses defending their title at the Women's Euros and female cricketers and rugby stars competing at their World Cups, these moments matter. 'Visibility drives engagement. Sport gave me so much, and it can do the same for the next generation of young girls.' Annabel made history at 15 when she became the youngest Brit in nearly a century to play in the Wimbledon main draw. At 18, she reached the third round, facing her idol Chris Evert on Court One – one of her 'most defining' career moments – and won Junior Wimbledon Singles that same year. 'I'll always be part of Wimbledon history and that makes me proud' But, aged 21, she stunned the tennis world by walking away. 'Ever since, people have come up to me and asked: 'Why did you stop so early?'' she says, explaining that she 'fell out of love' with the job. 'I didn't want to live that circus lifestyle any more,' she adds, admitting the decision was unplanned. 'I shudder now, thinking: 'How did I do that with such conviction but without any idea of what I was going to do?' "I didn't have an education or a plan. I was young and naive, and hadn't actually thought beyond that moment.' Fortunately, life after tennis served her well. After five years starring in pantomime, which built her confidence, Annabel found her stride in television, starring in Channel 4's adventure series Network Seven, before replacing Anneka Rice on Treasure Hunt in 1989. Once digital sports channels emerged, Annabel returned to her tennis roots, becoming a tennis presenter and pundit, first for Eurosport, then Sky Sports and the BBC. These days, as a member of the All England Club, she still plays 'two or three times a week'. Occasionally, she gives friends guided tours, ending at the Wimbledon trophy cabinet, where her junior title is enshrined. 'At the time, it didn't mean that much to me, but it does now. I'll always be in that trophy cabinet, which is part of Wimbledon history,' she says. 'That makes me proud.' Does she regret not staying to win the women's title? 'Of course, I would have loved to have won the main trophy, but I made a decision that I didn't want to chase that dream any more. "I regret that I didn't understand what I was doing at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?' Annabel lights up again as we discuss the players to watch at this year's Wimbledon Championships, namely Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 22, as well as British sensations Jack Draper, 23, and Emma Raducanu, 22 – who was the last Brit standing last month in the new WTA 500 event, the first time women's tennis had been played at the Queen's Club since 1973. Annabel has also got her eye on American player Coco Gauff, 21. 'She's had her ups and downs on her journey in tennis, but I admire her as a character and a player – her attitude, work ethic and how she's battled through challenges,' she says of young French Open winner, Coco. A woman after her own heart. . . Annabel's nationwide 28-date tour starts September 25. For tickets, go to 6 Interviewing Wimbledon champ Carlos Alcaraz Credit: Ella Ling/Shutterstock 6 Family is everything to Annabel – and now, that family is growing. In September, her eldest daughter Amber will welcome her first child Credit: Mark Hayman Editorial Hair: Dino Pereira using Andreia Professional Dino Pereira using Andreia Professional Make-up: Charlie Duffy using Delilah Charlie Duffy using Delilah Styling: Lynne McKenna Annabel wears sports bra, Under Armour at skirt, Wimbledon Shop; necklace, bracelet, both Merci Maman; ring, Sif Jakobs; shoes, dress, John Lewis & Partners; sweatband, Wimbledon Shop; necklace, Lucy Quartermaine; rings, Sif Jakobs; shoes, Next
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ex-Wimbledon champion Annabel Croft on downsizing after her husband's sudden death & the truth behind new man rumours
Former tennis champ and broadcasting royalty Annabel Croft on downsizing after the loss of her husband, why Strictly was a lifeline, and who to watch at Wimbledon Annabel Croft is in a taxi on her way home after a corporate speaking engagement, fresh from a day of commentating at London's Queen's Club. 6 6 It's 8:45pm, yet the former tennis pro is still brimming with energy. Is stamina her superpower? 'It does feel a bit like that,' she laughs. 'But this is peak season for me – and I love it.' As one of the BBC's most respected faces of tennis programming, Annabel covers tournaments around the globe including the Wimbledon Championships, which start tomorrow. And the day before she steps on to Centre Court to host the trophy ceremony for a third year running, Annabel will celebrate her 59th birthday, plus a major milestone in her sporting career. ' I'll be 59 on the penultimate day of Wimbledon, and that marks 50 years since I first picked up a racket at the age of nine,' she says, remembering the first time she gave tennis a go during a family holiday to Spain in 1975. She went on to win junior versions of Wimbledon and the Australian Open and represented Great Britain in the Federation Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup), becoming one of the world's Top 25 players, before quitting at 21 after growing tired of travelling the world alone. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now I'm on my own' Today, 38 years on, Annabel is encountering similar feelings again, two years since losing her husband Mel, 60, to cancer. At the five-bedroom family home that Mel built, she occupies just the kitchen and her bedroom, saying she no longer 'needs very much'. 'It's taken me back to living on my own before Mel came into my life, as that 15-year-old playing at Wimbledon for the first time, travelling the world on planes and across America on Greyhound buses. 'I've gone full circle to that person, because I've had to,' says Annabel, who has spent the past few months sorting and decluttering in readiness to move. I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need. 'The house has been my life for 25 years. Everything about it is Mel, because he built it. We've had amazing memories here that are impossible to forget, but I'm ready to go,' she says, admitting she is looking forward to 'simplifying' her life. 'What gives me pleasure is going for a morning walk in the park, running with my friends, having a coffee, a meal out and being with my family. "I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need.' Annabel's journey with America's Cup yachtsman Mel began in 1987, when they met filming BBC yachting series Cudmore's Call, when she was just 21. "The pair went on to have three children, Amber, now 31, Charlie, 29, and Lily, 27. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now it's a weird thing to be doing [life] on my own,' she says. 'I just walk into an empty house, so I try to trick my brain into thinking about when Mel was out at a work function and I'd come into the house on my own. Only, every night it is like this. 'Thankfully, I'm busy – that's always been the same and that's helpful.' Annabel remembers the days and nights she devoted to training during the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing soon after losing Mel, who died in May 2023, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. Partnered with South African dancer and choreographer Johannes Radebe, 38, the pair reached the semi-finals and the BBC show became a lifeline and welcome distraction. 'I wish I could find some way of replacing Strictly in my life in terms of what that show was to me. "It was so special and joyful,' she says, choosing not to be drawn on recent Strictly controversies, specifically surrounding pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who quit over bullying claims. Since then, duty-of-care measures have been introduced, including a 24-hour helpline and chaperones in rehearsal rooms. 'I think having a permanent chaperone would have been quite restrictive [when it comes to building] the relationship between you and the dancer,' says Annabel. 'I would have found it quite awkward, but if that's what you know, then that's all you know.' Annabel speaks regularly to Johannes, who she says she 'adores'. But what of the friend she shared a lunch date with in April, sparking speculation of a new romantic connection? 'He's my bank manager and a great friend who was also close to Mel,' sighs Annabel. 'We were looking at photographs of Mel together. Mel adored him and he's been really helpful to me.' 'Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer' Family is everything to Annabel – and now, that family is growing. In September, her eldest daughter Amber will welcome her first child. 'It feels like yesterday that I was cradling my baby [Amber] in my arms, feeding her, bathing her and taking her to nursery school. "I can't believe that same baby is now having a baby herself!' says Annabel, who hopes the birth will be before her nationwide speaking tour starts. 'I leave on September 24, so I hope the baby isn't late because I want to be supporting with cooking and helping out. Amber was 10 days early, so I'm hoping that her baby will be, too!' Amber married husband Hector last summer and, in August, it's son Charlie's turn to tie the knot. But Annabel will not be imparting marital advice. 'I can't bear hearing people talking about how to make a marriage work,' she says. 'If you have to try and make it work, there's something wrong. "Marriage should just be, and if you're compatible with somebody and enjoy their company, you go on the journey together.' I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer. Raised in Kent by her club-level-tennis-playing dad James, a chartered surveyor, and mum Susan, a housewife, Annabel was hooked from the moment she first picked up that racket aged nine. 'I remember gazing out of maths class at the sports pitches, because all I wanted to do was to be out there. "I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer,' she says. This summer, with women's sport sitting front and centre of a blockbuster line-up of events, Annabel hopes young girls feel inspired, just as she was watching tennis rivals Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. 'From women's tennis returning to the Queen's Club for the first time in 50 years and players excelling at Wimbledon, to the Lionesses defending their title at the Women's Euros and female cricketers and rugby stars competing at their World Cups, these moments matter. 'Visibility drives engagement. Sport gave me so much, and it can do the same for the next generation of young girls.' Annabel made history at 15 when she became the youngest Brit in nearly a century to play in the Wimbledon main draw. At 18, she reached the third round, facing her idol Chris Evert on Court One – one of her 'most defining' career moments – and won Junior Wimbledon Singles that same year. 'I'll always be part of Wimbledon history and that makes me proud' But, aged 21, she stunned the tennis world by walking away. 'Ever since, people have come up to me and asked: 'Why did you stop so early?'' she says, explaining that she 'fell out of love' with the job. 'I didn't want to live that circus lifestyle any more,' she adds, admitting the decision was unplanned. 'I shudder now, thinking: 'How did I do that with such conviction but without any idea of what I was going to do?' "I didn't have an education or a plan. I was young and naive, and hadn't actually thought beyond that moment.' Fortunately, life after tennis served her well. After five years starring in pantomime, which built her confidence, Annabel found her stride in television, starring in Channel 4's adventure series Network Seven, before replacing Anneka Rice on Treasure Hunt in 1989. Once digital sports channels emerged, Annabel returned to her tennis roots, becoming a tennis presenter and pundit, first for Eurosport, then Sky Sports and the BBC. These days, as a member of the All England Club, she still plays 'two or three times a week'. Occasionally, she gives friends guided tours, ending at the Wimbledon trophy cabinet, where her junior title is enshrined. 'At the time, it didn't mean that much to me, but it does now. I'll always be in that trophy cabinet, which is part of Wimbledon history,' she says. 'That makes me proud.' Does she regret not staying to win the women's title? 'Of course, I would have loved to have won the main trophy, but I made a decision that I didn't want to chase that dream any more. "I regret that I didn't understand what I was doing at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?' Annabel lights up again as we discuss the players to watch at this year's Wimbledon Championships, namely Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 22, as well as British sensations Jack Draper, 23, and Emma Raducanu, 22 – who was the last Brit standing last month in the new WTA 500 event, the first time women's tennis had been played at the Queen's Club since 1973. Annabel has also got her eye on American player Coco Gauff, 21. 'She's had her ups and downs on her journey in tennis, but I admire her as a character and a player – her attitude, work ethic and how she's battled through challenges,' she says of young French Open winner, Coco. A woman after her own heart. . . Annabel's nationwide 28-date tour starts September 25. For tickets, go to 6
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Rivals star duo Danny Dyer & Emily Atack line up big money deal to present top secret new Saturday night gameshow
RIVALS duo Danny Dyer and Emily Atack have been signed up by ITV as a presenting duo for a top secret new Saturday night gameshow. Ex-EastEnder Danny, 47, and The Inbetweeners star Emily, 35, will film the project this year, with the series set to air in 2026. 4 4 The pair, who appear together on Disney+ drama Rivals — based on Jilly Cooper's bonkbuster books — will each bag a rumoured £250,000 for their efforts. On the raunchy Rivals series, Danny plays Cockney businessman Freddy Jones, while Emily is opportunist MP's wife Sarah Stratton. An insider said: 'Bosses have been impressed with Danny and Emily's charisma on Rivals and thought they'd make an amazing duo on-screen to freshen up their entertainment talent. 'They're an unlikely pair but have appeared on a few panel shows together and have plenty of fun energy that is perfect for the tone that ITV want to set. 'Producers are keen to trial new presenting partnerships to get people talking, and both Emily and Danny have huge appeal.' Danny hosted BBC gameshow The Wall from 2019 to 2022. He was on ITV show The Assembly in April, winning plaudits for his honesty and vulnerability. 4 4 I'm A Celebrity runner-up Emily was on ITV2's Celebrity Juice as a team captain from 2020 to 2022 and has also hosted her own stand-up show. She was nominated for a BAFTA TV moment of the year in Rivals for a nude tennis scene in 2024. She and Danny's partnership comes amid an overhaul of ITV's entertainment roster, with Dancing on Ice and Ninja Warrior shelved as new formats are launched such as reality gameshow The Neighbourhood with Graham Norton, and The Summit — a reality show hosted by Ben Shephard. The source added: 'ITV is constantly trying to create the next big show and duo. It's about getting the chemistry just right.'
