Latest news with #Raducanu


Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Emma Raducanu sent fearless message by teenage Brit opponent ahead of Wimbledon
Welsh teenager Mimi Xu will take on Emma Raducanu in the first round of Wimbledon, and the 17-year-old is relishing the prospect of facing one of her role models Four years after she burst into public consciousness as a teenage hopeful at Wimbledon, the grass-court shoe will be on the other foot on Monday for Emma Raducanu. One of the standout draws of the first round from a home perspective saw the former US Open champion paired with 17-year-old Mimi Xu, who is among a trio of talented teenage British girls aiming to make a name for themselves. Xu, along with 16-year-old duo Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, has been rewarded for an impressive junior career and strong early strides in the women's game with a coveted wild card. The Welsh player, ranked 318, was left scrambling to try to find out who she had drawn, saying: 'It's quite funny because we're moving into the Airbnb this morning at five past 10 and I get a message from my coach, and he was like: 'What an exciting draw!' 'And then my mum's getting messages saying, 'That's so good, so exciting this and that', and not saying the name. And I haven't seen the draw. I'm like: 'Oh my gosh, what is the draw? Who am I playing?' 'And no one was replying afterwards, so I went on to the Wimbledon website and it wasn't there, and eventually someone told me I'm playing Emma. 'I feel like I'm really ready for it. I'm really excited for it. Obviously she's done so well in her career and I'm at the beginning of mine. So I think it's going to be a really good test for me, really good opportunity for me to just go out and play and have fun. I think she's a really good role model to have.' Xu came through the Lawn Tennis Association's national academy at Loughborough and remembers watching Raducanu win the US Open in 2021 with the other players who boarded there. The pair are friendly, sometimes talking together in Mandarin, with Xu's parents both of Chinese heritage along with Raducanu's mother. They got to know each other better when Xu was a hitting partner for the British team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga last November, and the teenager is quietly confident of causing an upset having already beaten two top-100 players on grass this summer. 'I've been playing really well,' she said. 'I was probably the first one on the grass this year. So I think my game really suits grass. I'm really confident in my game at the moment. 'I'm going to go out there, enjoy every moment, give it a good go. And I believe I've got a good chance if I do all that.' Raducanu came into the tournament after a difficult couple of matches at Eastbourne amid 'some really bad' personal news, while she continues to battle a niggling back problem. There were no signs of discomfort when the 22-year-old trained at the All England Club on Friday, although she was well beaten in a practice set on Court One by former champion Elena Rybakina. Raducanu did look a lot more smiley later when she was spotted walking around the grounds with US Open mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz. Her clash with Xu could be scheduled for one of the main courts, which would not phase the teenager. 'I said to my coach: 'When am I going to get to play on Centre Court again or Court One',' said Xu. 'I'm really ready to embrace it and really just go out and enjoy it. At the US Open last year I got to play on Louis Armstrong, which I think was an amazing experience as well. So I've had that kind of big court, big stadium experience. And if I do get to play on that court, I'm really excited.'


Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Emma Raducanu reveals she is studying ‘completely different' course as Wimbledon star hints at future career
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Ace has revealed the one thing she wants to experience while playing RAD MOVE Emma Raducanu reveals she is studying 'completely different' course as Wimbledon star hints at future career EMMA RADUCANU wants to create another masterpiece at Wimbledon. At the most challenging time of her season, Raducanu will try to relax this fortnight by going for long walks 'to destress'. 3 Emma Raducanu has revealed she is studying while not playing tennis Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 3 The ace is currently preparing for the start of Wimbledon Credit: Shutterstock Editorial And in her spare time at Wimbledon, she is reading books on art history as part of an online course. French 19th century painter Claude Monet, a master of the Impressionist era, is someone whose work she is starting to appreciate more. The world No.38 said: 'I'm just doing a course, I have a year to do it and it's good. It gives me something different to do. 'A lot of my subjects at school growing up were so quantitative – maths and economics. READ MORE IN TENNIS PERFECT MATCH Raducanu and Alcaraz partner up in off-court venture as they share 'spark' 'To do art history is completely different. You have to challenge your brain and ways of thinking that it wasn't used to. 'It's quite challenging. I actually quite like it. I have to learn so many broader topics. 'You have to pick apart and analyse every single thing in the painting. It's interesting. It's really fascinating. 'I have a greater appreciation for Monet and the Impressionist era. I didn't really take as much notice of that era of painting before. Now, I can appreciate what they're able to do. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS 'It's art history, and there's a section on the Renaissance and there's a section on sculptures and architecture as well. But I'm not at that part yet.' It is four years since Raducanu made history by winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier for which she banked £1.8million. British world No719 qualifies for Wimbledon but is BANNED from claiming £66,000 prize money 3 It has been a difficult year for the British tennis superstar, who has had mixed results on the court and some troublesome issues off it. Her coach Nick Cavaday, a long-term friend from her childhood, quit her set-up due to health reasons after the Australian Open in January. Then Raducanu was approached by a stalker that had followed her to Dubai, an episode that saw her burst into tears. And only last week she was crying again in public, this time at Eastbourne after receiving 'some pretty bad news'. Yet in spite of the trials and tribulations she has encountered, Raducanu approaches her fourth Wimbledon determined to smile throughout and live in the moment. Raducanu said: 'I want to really embody just having a good time and feel joy. 'I've recently realised that what we do is for such a short amount of time and it'll go before we know it. 'I was actually listening to Ana Ivanovic say the same thing. She said she wished she had enjoyed it more. Ladies' singles draw in full Sabalenka v Branstine Raducanu v Xu Vondrousova v Kessler Mertens v Fruhvirtova Li v Golubic Gracheva v Sasnovich Boulter v Badosa Minnen vs Gadecki Todoni vs Bucsa Birrel v Vekic Fernandez v Klugman Stearns v Siegemund Danilov v Zhang Ruse v Keys Paolini v Sevastova Rakhimova v Ito Lys v Yuan Pera v Noskova Haddad Maia v Sramkova Dart v Galfi Wickmayer v Zarazua Putintseva v Anisimova Shnaider v Uchijima Parry v Martic Tomova v Jabeur Kartal v Ostapenko Krueger v Stojsavljevic Pavlyuchenkova v Tomljanovic Osaka v Gibson Siniakova v Zheng Andreeva v Sherif Teichmann v Bronzetti Bapiste v Cirstea Potapova v Frech Krejcikoba v Eala Dolehide v Rus Kudermetova v Zhu Kvitova v Navarro Mucholva v Wang Sonmez v Cristian Lamens v Jovic Hon v Alexandrova Linette v Jacquemot Parks v Bencic Volynets v Maria Cocciaretto v Pegula Swiatek v Kudermetova McNally v Burrage Osorio v Collins Erjavec v Kostyuk Tauson v Watson Kalinskaya v Stojanovic Sakkari v Blinkova Avanesyan v Rybakina Kasatkina v Arango Begu v Juvan Starodubtseva v Jones Joint v Samsonova Kenin v Townsend Bouzas Maneiro v Seidel Azarenka v Zakharova Yastremska v Gauff 'Sometimes I want to go into the future and think: 'Oh, my god, am I going to regret not enjoying this moment?' 'I'm 22 now. So I'm kind of like living for that person, to not have any regrets to look back on. 'I want to bring joy to what I do and enjoy this time, because it's going to go by really fast.' Stepping on Wimbledon grass on Monday against British teenager Mimi Xu brings with it enormous pressure and expectation. But Raducanu, one of the most scrutinised female athletes on the planet, is relishing the return to the biggest stage. The Kent star said: 'It's a big occasion every year. Something that brings a lot of excitement, it brings a lot of buzz. 'And that buzz of winning at Wimbledon, honestly not much beats it. So I'm really looking forward to it. 'At the same time, you do feel a bit of pressure. You do feel a bit nervous but in a good way. 'If you're able to channel that and use it to focus yourself in the matches, then it's helpful, because sometimes if you're too loose, too relaxed, you're not as locked in on the court.' Wimbledon Ticket Options There are a range of ways to get into Wimbledon as one of the only major sporting events in the world that offer sought-after tickets on the day of the event... The Queue As one of the only major sporting events that allows guests to purchase tickets on the day of the event, demand is high. Each day a large queue forms of people wanting either a Grounds or Show Court ticket - with many even arriving the night before and camping to guarantee a place. Upon arrival, visitors are issued a Queue Card, which is numbered and dated and should be kept until a ticket has been purchased. While there is a limited number of entries, it is possible to remain in the queue and wait for people already inside to leave, with those tickets then becoming available. It is also possible to check the status of the queue on the Wimbledon website. This year, organisers are asking potential queuers to download the Wimbledon app and create a myWimbledon account. Show Tickets If you get to the front of the queue, then there are a limited number of tickets available for purchase for Centre Court and Courts 1, 2 and 3. Note that Centre Court tickets are available for the first 10 days of the tournament, the final four days were already pre-sold. Prices vary depending on the Court, seat and day of the event and will increase the further into the tournament you visit. For example, Centre Court rows A-T cost £105 on Day 1 and £315 on Day 14 (men's final). Grounds Pass A Grounds Pass costs £30 and allows visitors to watch matches on Courts 3-18 on unreserved seats, though there will also be a queue to get into Court 3. Ticket Resale From 3pm each day, tickets may become available from people who have left Wimbledon and made their seat available. A Grounds Pass is needed to join the virtual queue on the Wimbledon App. Tickets cost £15 for Centre Court or £10 for Courts 1/2. Hospitality There are a range of hospitality packages still available on the Wimbledon website. Hospitality packages offer guaranteed premium seating to major matches as well as fine dining experiences, complimentary drinks, a shuttle and concierge service. Hospitality packages can also be purchased via Seat Unique. Secondary Markets Sites such as StubHub offer tickets for the main courts for specific days and times. *Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value.* Cavaday will not be courtside but Mark Petchey – a respected TV analyst – will be in the stands, orchestrating her training plans and giving out orders. Raducanu axed Vladimir Platenik as coach after one match in Miami after it was revealed the Slovakian had previously branded the prospect of working with her as 'coaching suicide' in an interview. Working with people who knew her before she became mega famous is something she values. Trust is an important element when it comes to whom she lets into her inner circle having been burned in the past. Raducanu said: 'You're not going to feel so comfortable all the time. 'To have those moments where you maybe open up and you're honest and you show a bit of vulnerability, you kind of only want to do that with people you're close to and can trust. 'You don't want to do the same or go into the same detail, if it's someone you don't fully trust. 'Sometimes also maybe your behaviour isn't perfect, so for them to kind of know that it's not personal. 'You're just kind of carrying a certain amount, and you just need to let certain things out. It's very helpful to know they're not going to take it personally. 'In the past, I couldn't speak out really, because I didn't want what I said to kind of be shared and spoken and gossiped about. 'Because you know how Chinese whispers go. It's just exaggerated and things are twisted.'


The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Emma Raducanu reveals she is studying ‘completely different' course as Wimbledon star hints at future career
EMMA RADUCANU wants to create another masterpiece at Wimbledon. At the most challenging time of her season, 3 Emma Raducanu has revealed she is studying while not playing tennis Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 3 The ace is currently preparing for the start of Wimbledon Credit: Shutterstock Editorial And in her spare time at Wimbledon, she is reading books on art history as part of an online course. French 19th century painter Claude Monet, a master of the Impressionist era, is someone whose work she is starting to appreciate more. The world No.38 said: 'I'm just doing a course, I have a year to do it and it's good. It gives me something different to do. 'A lot of my subjects at school growing up were so quantitative – maths and economics. READ MORE IN TENNIS 'To do art history is completely different. You have to challenge your brain and ways of thinking that it wasn't used to. 'It's quite challenging. I actually quite like it. I have to learn so many broader topics. 'You have to pick apart and analyse every single thing in the painting. It's interesting. It's really fascinating. 'I have a greater appreciation for Monet and the Impressionist era. I didn't really take as much notice of that era of painting before. Now, I can appreciate what they're able to do. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS 'It's art history, and there's a section on the Renaissance and there's a section on sculptures and architecture as well. But I'm not at that part yet.' British world No719 qualifies for Wimbledon but is BANNED from claiming £66,000 prize money 3 It has been a difficult year for the British tennis superstar, who has had mixed results on the court and some troublesome issues off it. Her coach Nick Cavaday, a long-term friend from her childhood, quit her set-up due to health reasons after the Australian Open in January. Then Raducanu was approached by a stalker that had followed her to Dubai, an episode that saw her burst into tears. And only last week she was crying again in public, this time at Eastbourne after receiving 'some pretty bad news'. Yet in spite of the trials and tribulations she has encountered, Raducanu approaches her fourth Wimbledon determined to smile throughout and live in the moment. Raducanu said: 'I want to really embody just having a good time and feel joy. 'I've recently realised that what we do is for such a short amount of time and it'll go before we know it. 'I was actually listening to Ana Ivanovic say the same thing. She said she wished she had enjoyed it more. Ladies' singles draw in full Sabalenka v Branstine Raducanu v Xu Vondrousova v Kessler Mertens v Fruhvirtova Li v Golubic Gracheva v Sasnovich Boulter v Badosa Minnen vs Gadecki Todoni vs Bucsa Birrel v Vekic Fernandez v Klugman Stearns v Siegemund Danilov v Zhang Ruse v Keys Paolini v Sevastova Rakhimova v Ito Lys v Yuan Pera v Noskova Haddad Maia v Sramkova Dart v Galfi Wickmayer v Zarazua Putintseva v Anisimova Shnaider v Uchijima Parry v Martic Tomova v Jabeur Kartal v Ostapenko Krueger v Stojsavljevic Pavlyuchenkova v Tomljanovic Osaka v Gibson Siniakova v Zheng Andreeva v Sherif Teichmann v Bronzetti Bapiste v Cirstea Potapova v Frech Krejcikoba v Eala Dolehide v Rus Kudermetova v Zhu Kvitova v Navarro Mucholva v Wang Sonmez v Cristian Lamens v Jovic Hon v Alexandrova Linette v Jacquemot Parks v Bencic Volynets v Maria Cocciaretto v Pegula Swiatek v Kudermetova McNally v Burrage Osorio v Collins Erjavec v Kostyuk Tauson v Watson Kalinskaya v Stojanovic Sakkari v Blinkova Avanesyan v Rybakina Kasatkina v Arango Begu v Juvan Starodubtseva v Jones Joint v Samsonova Kenin v Townsend Bouzas Maneiro v Seidel Azarenka v Zakharova Yastremska v Gauff 'Sometimes I want to go into the future and think: 'Oh, my god, am I going to regret not enjoying this moment?' 'I'm 22 now. So I'm kind of like living for that person, to not have any regrets to look back on. 'I want to bring joy to what I do and enjoy this time, because it's going to go by really fast.' Stepping on Wimbledon grass on Monday against British teenager Mimi Xu brings with it enormous pressure and expectation. But Raducanu, one of the most scrutinised female athletes on the planet, is relishing the return to the biggest stage. The Kent star said: 'It's a big occasion every year. Something that brings a lot of excitement, it brings a lot of buzz. 'And that buzz of winning at Wimbledon, honestly not much beats it. So I'm really looking forward to it. 'At the same time, you do feel a bit of pressure. You do feel a bit nervous but in a good way. 'If you're able to channel that and use it to focus yourself in the matches, then it's helpful, because sometimes if you're too loose, too relaxed, you're not as locked in on the court.' Wimbledon Ticket Options There are a range of ways to get into Wimbledon as one of the only major sporting events in the world that offer sought-after tickets on the day of the event... The Queue As one of the only major sporting events that allows guests to purchase tickets on the day of the event, demand is high. Each day a large queue forms of people wanting either a Grounds or Show Court ticket - with many even arriving the night before and camping to guarantee a place. Upon arrival, visitors are issued a Queue Card, which is numbered and dated and should be kept until a ticket has been purchased. While there is a limited number of entries, it is possible to remain in the queue and wait for people already inside to leave, with those tickets then becoming available. It is also possible to check the status of the queue on the Wimbledon website. This year, organisers are asking potential queuers to download the Wimbledon app and create a myWimbledon account. Show Tickets If you get to the front of the queue, then there are a limited number of tickets available for purchase for Centre Court and Courts 1, 2 and 3. Note that Centre Court tickets are available for the first 10 days of the tournament, the final four days were already pre-sold. Prices vary depending on the Court, seat and day of the event and will increase the further into the tournament you visit. For example, Centre Court rows A-T cost £105 on Day 1 and £315 on Day 14 (men's final). Grounds Pass A Grounds Pass costs £30 and allows visitors to watch matches on Courts 3-18 on unreserved seats, though there will also be a queue to get into Court 3. Ticket Resale From 3pm each day, tickets may become available from people who have left Wimbledon and made their seat available. A Grounds Pass is needed to join the virtual queue on the Wimbledon App. Tickets cost £15 for Centre Court or £10 for Courts 1/2. Hospitality There are a range of hospitality packages still available on the Wimbledon website. Hospitality packages offer guaranteed premium seating to major matches as well as fine dining experiences, complimentary drinks, a shuttle and concierge service. Hospitality packages can also be purchased via Secondary Markets Sites such as *Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value.* Cavaday will not be courtside but Mark Petchey – a respected TV analyst – will be in the stands, orchestrating her training plans and giving out orders. Raducanu axed Vladimir Platenik as coach after one match in Miami after it was revealed the Slovakian had previously branded the prospect of working with her as 'coaching suicide' in an interview. Working with people who knew her before she became mega famous is something she values. Trust is an important element when it comes to whom she lets into her inner circle having been burned in the past. Raducanu said: 'You're not going to feel so comfortable all the time. 'To have those moments where you maybe open up and you're honest and you show a bit of vulnerability, you kind of only want to do that with people you're close to and can trust. 'You don't want to do the same or go into the same detail, if it's someone you don't fully trust. 'Sometimes also maybe your behaviour isn't perfect, so for them to kind of know that it's not personal. 'You're just kind of carrying a certain amount, and you just need to let certain things out. It's very helpful to know they're not going to take it personally. 'In the past, I couldn't speak out really, because I didn't want what I said to kind of be shared and spoken and gossiped about. 'Because you know how Chinese whispers go. It's just exaggerated and things are twisted.'

Leader Live
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Rising star Mimi Xu relishing clash with ‘really good role model' Emma Raducanu
One of the standout draws of the first round from a home perspective saw the former US Open champion paired with 17-year-old Mimi Xu, who is among a trio of talented teenage British girls aiming to make a name for themselves. Xu, along with 16-year-old duo Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, has been rewarded for an impressive junior career and strong early strides in the women's game with a coveted wild card. Mimi Xu vs Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon! — Tennis Wales (@tenniswales) June 27, 2025 The Welsh player, ranked 318, was left scrambling to try to find out who she had drawn, saying: 'It's quite funny because we're moving into the Airbnb this morning at five past 10 and I get a message from my coach, and he was like: 'What an exciting draw!' 'And then my mum's getting messages saying, 'That's so good, so exciting this and that', and not saying the name. And I haven't seen the draw. I'm like: 'Oh my gosh, what is the draw? Who am I playing?' 'And no one was replying afterwards, so I went on to the Wimbledon website and it wasn't there, and eventually someone told me I'm playing Emma. 'I feel like I'm really ready for it. I'm really excited for it. Obviously she's done so well in her career and I'm at the beginning of mine. So I think it's going to be a really good test for me, really good opportunity for me to just go out and play and have fun. I think she's a really good role model to have.' Xu came through the Lawn Tennis Association's national academy at Loughborough and remembers watching Raducanu win the US Open in 2021 with the other players who boarded there. The pair are friendly, sometimes talking together in Mandarin, with Xu's parents both of Chinese heritage along with Raducanu's mother. They got to know each other better when Xu was a hitting partner for the British team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga last November, and the teenager is quietly confident of causing an upset having already beaten two top-100 players on grass this summer. 'I've been playing really well,' she said. 'I was probably the first one on the grass this year. So I think my game really suits grass. I'm really confident in my game at the moment. 'I'm going to go out there, enjoy every moment, give it a good go. And I believe I've got a good chance if I do all that.' Raducanu came into the tournament after a difficult couple of matches at Eastbourne amid 'some really bad' personal news, while she continues to battle a niggling back problem. There were no signs of discomfort when the 22-year-old trained at the All England Club on Friday, although she was well beaten in a practice set on Court One by former champion Elena Rybakina. Raducanu did look a lot more smiley later when she was spotted walking around the grounds with US Open mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz. Her clash with Xu could be scheduled for one of the main courts, which would not phase the teenager. 'I said to my coach: 'When am I going to get to play on Centre Court again or Court One',' said Xu. 'I'm really ready to embrace it and really just go out and enjoy it. At the US Open last year I got to play on Louis Armstrong, which I think was an amazing experience as well. So I've had that kind of big court, big stadium experience. And if I do get to play on that court, I'm really excited.'


South Wales Guardian
12 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Rising star Mimi Xu relishing clash with ‘really good role model' Emma Raducanu
One of the standout draws of the first round from a home perspective saw the former US Open champion paired with 17-year-old Mimi Xu, who is among a trio of talented teenage British girls aiming to make a name for themselves. Xu, along with 16-year-old duo Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, has been rewarded for an impressive junior career and strong early strides in the women's game with a coveted wild card. Mimi Xu vs Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon! — Tennis Wales (@tenniswales) June 27, 2025 The Welsh player, ranked 318, was left scrambling to try to find out who she had drawn, saying: 'It's quite funny because we're moving into the Airbnb this morning at five past 10 and I get a message from my coach, and he was like: 'What an exciting draw!' 'And then my mum's getting messages saying, 'That's so good, so exciting this and that', and not saying the name. And I haven't seen the draw. I'm like: 'Oh my gosh, what is the draw? Who am I playing?' 'And no one was replying afterwards, so I went on to the Wimbledon website and it wasn't there, and eventually someone told me I'm playing Emma. 'I feel like I'm really ready for it. I'm really excited for it. Obviously she's done so well in her career and I'm at the beginning of mine. So I think it's going to be a really good test for me, really good opportunity for me to just go out and play and have fun. I think she's a really good role model to have.' Xu came through the Lawn Tennis Association's national academy at Loughborough and remembers watching Raducanu win the US Open in 2021 with the other players who boarded there. The pair are friendly, sometimes talking together in Mandarin, with Xu's parents both of Chinese heritage along with Raducanu's mother. They got to know each other better when Xu was a hitting partner for the British team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga last November, and the teenager is quietly confident of causing an upset having already beaten two top-100 players on grass this summer. 'I've been playing really well,' she said. 'I was probably the first one on the grass this year. So I think my game really suits grass. I'm really confident in my game at the moment. 'I'm going to go out there, enjoy every moment, give it a good go. And I believe I've got a good chance if I do all that.' Raducanu came into the tournament after a difficult couple of matches at Eastbourne amid 'some really bad' personal news, while she continues to battle a niggling back problem. There were no signs of discomfort when the 22-year-old trained at the All England Club on Friday, although she was well beaten in a practice set on Court One by former champion Elena Rybakina. Raducanu did look a lot more smiley later when she was spotted walking around the grounds with US Open mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz. Her clash with Xu could be scheduled for one of the main courts, which would not phase the teenager. 'I said to my coach: 'When am I going to get to play on Centre Court again or Court One',' said Xu. 'I'm really ready to embrace it and really just go out and enjoy it. At the US Open last year I got to play on Louis Armstrong, which I think was an amazing experience as well. So I've had that kind of big court, big stadium experience. And if I do get to play on that court, I'm really excited.'