Wimbledon: Emma Raducanu and Marketa Vondrousova cross paths once more in a story of two Grand Slam champions

Wimbledon is aware of its quirky tales of newly-discovered adoration. Two years in the past it fell in love with Marketa Vondrousova, the mural of tattoos as placing as her on-court abilities, cat-sitter bookings and, after all, odds-spoiling triumph. 

Come Wednesday a mutual empathy could effectively linger within the All England air when the Czech meets Emma Raducanu within the second spherical, two former Grand Slam champions dealing with off as no strangers to merciless setbacks, unwelcome noise and heightened spotlights that each refuse to let detract from their credentials as main winners.

Vondrousova, the refined and oft-overlooked murderer lurking within the shadows with giant-slayer capabilities; Raducanu, a nonetheless plain face of tennis who persists to swat at unrivalled stress stemming from certainly one of tennis’ iconic Slam debuts.

Between damage and fluctuating type, there are notable parallels within the respective rocky journeys earlier than, round and since Slam success. How each would relish a disturbance-free plot line.

“I remember watching her when I was young make the French Open final,” mentioned Raducanu. “She was younger there as effectively. Always appeared manner above me and additional forward than me.

“She had a wrist surgery and came back and won Wimbledon, which is incredible. She’s a really, really talented player.”

A 19-year-old Vondrousova introduced herself in type on the 2019 French Open when she turned the primary teenager to succeed in the ultimate of a Grand Slam since Caroline Wozniacki on the 2009 US Open, ultimately falling to Ash Barty.

Wrist surgical procedure would then rule her out of the latter phases of the season earlier than she returned to clinch silver on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 throughout a run that noticed her knock out two top-10 opponents.

She then missed three of the 4 Grand Slams in 2022 resulting from additional damage points, earlier than beautiful Ons Jabeur as the primary unseeded girls’ singles Wimbledon champion and the lowest-ranked Wimbledon champion within the Open Era in 2023. Her inventory had snowballed throughout the 2 weeks from unheralded obscurity to grass-court artist, loveable tales of her cat Frankie – who now lives with ex-husband Stepan – combining with as a lot to assemble the All England Club’s newest protagonist.

Such has been the rollercoaster theme to her profession, Vondrousova turned simply the second reigning Wimbledon girls’s singles champion of the Open Era to lose within the first spherical as she was crushed by world No 83 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro the next 12 months. What’s extra, it marked the primary time a reigning Slam champion had misplaced within the first spherical since… Raducanu on the 2022 US Open.

Her progress was derailed once more in early 2025 when a shoulder damage dominated her out for an prolonged interval, just for Vondrousova – in Vondrousova style – to reply emphatically by beating Wang Xinyu to Berlin Open glory only a week out from Wimbledon, having taken out world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on her path to the ultimate.

“We played earlier in the year in Abu Dhabi,” Raducanu added. “I know she’s super tough, but it’s very difficult to maintain that top level after winning a slam. She’s really playing in form right now.

“She clearly gained Berlin. Beat high gamers on the way in which to the title. So actually tough match. She’s clearly gained Wimbledon. Amazing grass courtroom participant and wonderful participant usually.

“I think it’s going to be a really difficult match. I’m going to need to play very well to get over the line.”

Raducanu, greater than most, can attest to the lofted expectations and yo-yoing fortunes that accompany victory, not to mention her victory for the ages.

The British No 1 had met Vondrousova amid her personal defining breakthrough again in 2021, recording a 6-2 6-4 victory within the second spherical of her principal draw Wimbledon debut, which noticed her make it so far as the fourth spherical.

“I remember I played really good tennis,” Raducanu mentioned of their match at Wimbledon. “I remember I played one of the best matches I’ve played. Was so aggressive, took the ball on. Obviously since she’s won the Wimbledon title and had a lot more success on grass.

“I do not forget that was, yeah, an enormous change, an enormous turning level for me. I’m trying ahead, once more, to have the chance to be within the second spherical. I’m grateful for that.”

In doing so Raducanu kickstarted a historic summer culminating in her becoming the first male or female qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era as she toppled Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez to clinch the US Open without dropping a single set.

Soaring projections of Raducanu supremacy ensued, often and unfairly resistant to the reality of a women’s tennis scene blessed in its depth of contenders and its proclivity for new emerging stars with the post-Serena Williams era on the horizon. With fierce pressure came ankle and wrists surgeries, further injury blows, stalking ordeals and a winding search for a preferable coaching set-up in making for a chapter in which most could and should be forgiven for finding clear progress difficult to come by.

“I really feel like she had it manner worse as a result of she is from greater nation,” said Vondrousova.

“She had loopy stress. I really feel like she has it in each match on a regular basis,” Vondrousova said when asked if she could relate to Raducanu’s journey since fame arrived.

“I really feel like she’s getting higher and higher with it, however yeah, general it should have been loopy for her to dwell all of that.”

Glimmers of returning type have appeared during the last 12 months, although, with Raducanu breaking again into the highest 50 for the primary time since September 2022 in March and reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final. She notably encountered Vondrousova once more when she was crushed as a wild card entry on the Abu Dhabi Open.

“She is at home here, so I expect a tough match,” Vondrousova mentioned. “I feel like she’s getting better and better. She is 30-something now so she’s very high in the rankings. I feel like she’s coming back where she belongs.

“I really feel like she’s an awesome participant. She has each robust forehand, backhand. She’s a, very nice participant. I count on robust one on Wednesday.”

Raducanu sealed her spot within the second spherical by beating Welsh teenager Mimi Xu as certainly one of seven Brits to win on Monday, whereas Vondrousova overcame latest Nottingham Open champion McCartney Kessler. Awaiting the winner is a possible matchup with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who takes on Marie Bouzkova amid her seek for a primary Grand Slam victory of the 12 months after two finals defeats in Melbourne and Roland Garros.

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