Wimbledon Day One - Order of play and must-see match
Here, the PA news agency breaks down what to expect on day one of the Championships.
Brit watch
British tennis fans are spoiled for choice on Monday as 14 of the 23 home players in the singles draws take to the court.
Emma Raducanu faces Welsh 17-year-old Mimi Xu in the day's 'battle of Britain' while British number two Katie Boulter and number three Sonay Kartal have their work cut out against seeds Paula Badosa and Jelena Ostapenko respectively.
Sixteen-year-olds Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic are also against seeds – former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez and Ashlyn Krueger respectively – while Harriet Dart plays Hungary's Dalma Galfi.
In the men's draw British number two Jacob Fearnley takes on hot Brazilian prospect Joao Fonseca while Cameron Norrie faces Roberto Bautista Agut.
Debutant Oliver Tarvet, former boys' champion Henry Searle, Billy Harris, Arthur Fery and Oliver Crawford also take to the court on Monday.
Raducanu plays down expectations
Emma Raducanu made the fourth round last year in her biggest moment since winning the US Open in 2021 but this time is dealing with some difficult personal news, a niggling back problem and a very tough section of the draw.
But the 22-year-old is determined to enjoy her time in SW19.
'Truthfully I don't expect much from myself this year (at Wimbledon),' she said. 'I know I've just been dealing with certain things. I just want to go out there and embrace the moment. I want to embrace the occasion.
'Right now I'm just happy to be at Wimbledon. I think that is a great motivation to just keep going and deal with everything else afterwards.'
Carlos Alcaraz is full of confidence as he starts his bid for a third successive Wimbledon men's singles title – a feat managed only by Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the Open era. The Spaniard comes into the tournament in superb form, with his 18th-straight victory securing the title at Queen's to follow up successes in Rome and, memorably, at the French Open.
The 22-year-old, who opens play on Centre Court against veteran Italian Fabio Fognini, said: 'Obviously I feel a lot of confidence. But right now I'm not thinking about who I could join if I win three Wimbledons in a row.'
Match of the day
Katie Boulter's hopes of a long Wimbledon run were handed a major early obstacle when she was drawn against Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa. But the 28-year-old is confident she can give anyone a match on Wimbledon's lawns.
'I do feel like I can play very well on these courts and I don't think that a seed is going to want to see me in their part of the draw either for a first round,' Boulter said.
'I'm very, very excited. I feel like it's a totally different situation for me coming in this year. I'm not seeded. I'm kind of like a dark horse and I like that feeling. I do like the fact that I can go out and swing free and I've got nothing to lose.'
Order of play
Centre Court (from 1.30pm)
Carlos Alcaraz (2) v Fabio Fognini
Katie Boulter v Paula Badosa (9)
Alexander Zverev (3) v Arthur Rinderknech
Court One (from 1pm)
Aryna Sabalenka (1) v Carson Branstine
Jacob Fearnley v Joao Fonseca
Emma Raducanu v Mimi Xu
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South Wales Guardian
33 minutes ago
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Oliver Tarvet savours maiden first-round Wimbledon victory
The St. Albans star made the perfect start to his first-ever Grand Slam after defeating Switzerland's Leandro Riedi 6-4 6-4 6-4 to advance to the second round. It puts a bow on a memorable few weeks for the British qualifier, after he became the first British man to progress through three rounds of qualifying and reach the main draw since 2017. 'It's a dream come true,' said Tarvet. 'As a little kid, it's what you always kind of work towards. 'It was just really special this morning. I had a lot of adrenaline and a decent amount of nerves but I did a really good job of not letting the moment get too big and focussing on what's important to me and gives me success. 'I was trying to take it all in but at the same time, I have got a match to play and a job to do. I thought I did a good job kind of focussing on what's important. 'Obviously, now I can appreciate it a little bit more and let it sink in. 'Today was pretty funny because I would hear this voice that would be familiar. I'd quickly give a glance and it would be my old coach when I was 10 or 11 or my old friend when I was just young or an old player that I played when I was a little kid. 'It was nice seeing these familiar faces coming out to support me. It gave me a lot of energy and a lot of motivation to go out there and win.' Nearly 200 places separated Tarvet from Riedi in the world rankings but that made no difference on court, with Tarvet comfortably clinching a straight sets success over the Swiss in front of boisterous home support. Victory has thrust the 21-year-old into the limelight, with a potential scond round tie against reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz a potential reward. But Tarvet has never been one to be star-struck, expressing full conviction that his brand of tennis can cause a sensational upset. 'For it to happen so suddenly has been really special,' added Tarvet. 'You never know what can happen in tennis. If I do play him, I feel like nothing has changed. I've come here and not really set myself any expectations. 'I'm quietly confident that I can win against anyone. Alcaraz isn't an exception to that. Obviously, he's done an incredible amount in the tennis world. He's a difficult guy not to respect but I'll just go out there and try and treat it like another match. 'At the end of the day, I try and play the ball, not the player.'
Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Emma Raducanu vs Mimi Xu: score and latest updates from Wimbledon
30 June 2025 5:34pm 5:34PM Raducanu 2-0 Xu With her serve touching 100mph, Raducanu hits a service winner and then an ace to go 30-0 ahead. Xu at least manages to reach the next serve, but her return is sent short and Radacanu dispatches the ball to the corner. Another service winner from Raducanu wraps up the game to love. 5:32PM Raducanu 1-0 Xu Xu is the first to serve and loses the first two points, the second with a double fault, hinting at nerves. With the pairs briefly trading shots from the baseline, the teenager then hits a forehand long, before finally scoring a point when Raducanu sends a return to the net. Raducanu then prevails after another baseline rally, celebrating the game-win with a yelp and a fist pump. 5:25PM Back injury still causing problems Raducanu and Xu have arrived to the court, moments after the BBC broadcast a brief interview they grabbed with the former. British fans might have been slightly disappointed to hear her expand on the continuing problems with her back issue. Reiterating that she has few ambitions for this year's event because of the injury, she said: 'I still feel it. It's something I've learnt I need to deal with it. It comes in phases. 'Playing on grass, with the ball bouncing, I have to get into lower positions, so that is something I will need to deal with.' 5:15PM British No 1 seeking fresh start at SW19 This year's tournament is only the fourth occasion in which Raducanu, the British No 1, has contested Wimbledon. Her record is moderately impressive, with two fourth-round defeats and a second-round loss since that victory at Flushing Meadows, along with one injury-enforced absence. For all that the US Open triumph was an extraordinary achievement – she was the first qualifier to win a slam title in the Open era –– it set a standard that Raducanu, perhaps inevitably, has found impossible to maintain. Hence, as The Telegraph's Sonia Twigg wrote last week, the Briton goes into Wimbledon hoping to draw a line under the feat and stick to lowered, but realistic, expectations of herself. 'Once you've reached the top of winning a grand slam and every result you have, you're like, 'Well, it's not the same level as that',' she said in the build-up to the tournament. 'So it's difficult to get my own head around and bring my expectations of myself a bit down, because I'm like, 'Well, I've achieved that. Why can't I achieve this?' That's the hardest internal debate that I have in my mind.' 5:05PM Raducanu's game much improved Raducanu, having struggled with a back problem this year, has insisted that she has few expectations of herself at this year's Wimbledon. Simon Briggs, however, The Telegraph's tennis correspondent, is hopeful that fans will see the fruits of the Briton's impressive remodelling of her game. Her recently developed weapons include a wicked forehand down the line, a running backhand and an improved second-serve return. Read Simon's full examination of Raducanu's work on her technique here. 4:59PM Fearnley defeat clears path on Court No1 Fearnley has lost the third set on Court No1, handing Fonseca victory and clearing the way for Raducanu to play on Court No 1. She is expected on court at 5.20pm BST. 4:55PM Alcaraz is 'just a good friend' Raducanu, having courted huge attention since her breakthrough US Open win in 2021, has been the subject of rumours over the past week regarding the nature of her relationship with Wimbledon men's champion Carlos Alcaraz. The speculation started after the pair revealed they would partner one another in the mixed doubles at this year's US Open. The gossip cranked up a notch when Raducanu was then seen cheering on Alcaraz at Queen's Club. The pair have been friends since their junior days and their bond, it is said, strengthened when Alcaraz also had his breakthrough moment at the 2021 US Open with victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, then the world No 3. Asked about their relationship in the build-up to Wimbledon, however, Raducanu, with a smile, simply said: ' We're just good friends.' 4:45PM Teenager Xu is a 'really good player' Mimi Xu promises to provide tricky opposition for Raducanu, having reached the final of junior Wimbledon last year. Raducanu has practised with the 17-year-old from Wales and has an idea what to expect. 'It's a very dangerous match, very difficult,' Raducanu said. 'Mimi is a really, really good player. I practised with her a few times. A lot of weapons. Also moves really well. It's going to be a really different match.' Raducanu has even conversed with Xu's mother in Mandarin, taking the opportunity to exercise her language skills, the former's own mother also hailing from China. The pair were also colleagues on Britain's Billie Jean King Cup squad, with whom Xu travelled as a hitting partner. 'For her it's one, where there's nothing to lose,' Raducanu said. 'I remember when I had my first Wimbledon here and I was 18. It's a great feeling. You just feel, like, completely fearless. So, it's going to be a challenge, but one that I'm looking forward to and I'm ready for.' 4:39PM Fans await golden girl Emma Raducanu should be on court shortly, with Britain's Jacob Fearnley battling to avoid defeat against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca on Court No1. Fearnley is two sets down, leading 6-5 in the third, having just ground out a game-win to extend the match a little further. 4:22PM Raducanu out to enjoy herself Emma Raducanu is going to try and enjoy herself when she gets her Wimbledon campaign under way against Mimi Xu this afternoon. The Briton faces her compatriot with the spotlight focused on her as much as ever – she remains the most famous British female athlete. But she's determined not to let that get in the way of her having some fun. 'I want to embody just having a good time and joy,' she said last week. 'I've recently realised that what we do, it's for such a short amount of time and it will 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. I don't want to 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.' Things have been looking up this year for the British No 1. She has reached two WTA quarter-finals and returned to the world's top 40. But she does not 'expect much' this tournament after a difficult build-up that saw her lose to teenager Maya Joint in the second round at Eastbourne last week. Speaking after that defeat, she said: 'Realistically, the turnaround [to Wimbledon] is pretty soon – it's only four days away really that Wimbledon starts. 'I think I'm just going to start with [a day off] tomorrow and then hopefully I can get on the court on Friday.' Raducanu has been hampered by a back issue since the start of the clay-court season and last week said: 'I still have a few days before Wimbledon. I'm looking forward to recovering, and hopefully it settles. 'I think it could be a blessing in disguise having some rest right now. I'm looking forward to heading back and then getting on the grass.'
STV News
40 minutes ago
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Jacob Fearnley dumped out of Wimbledon by Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca
Jacob Fearnley's Wimbledon journey was emphatically halted on day one as teenage sensation Joao Fonseca delivered a devastating display following his pre-tournament warm-up with Carlos Alcaraz. British number two Fearnley was bidding to reach the second round at SW19 for a second successive year after suffering a four-set loss to Novak Djokovic 12 months ago. But 18-year-old Brazilian Fonseca, who spent Saturday honing his grass-court skills in a high-intensity session with reigning champion Alcaraz, underlined his status as one of the tour's hottest prospects with a blistering 6-4 6-1 7-6 (5) victory in sweltering south-west London. Fearnley, ranked 51st in the world, showed signs of nerves from the outset on Court One, producing the first two of nine double faults at the start of an unconvincing opening service game. The 23-year-old Scot saved four break points in game four of a high-octane contest but then failed to capitalise on three of his own before Fonseca benefited from another double fault to seal the first set. That error came amid Fearnley losing 15 points on the bounce which ultimately led to him surrendering a one-sided second set in just 23 minutes. Impressive championship debutant Fonseca was made to work far harder in set three before claiming what is likely to be the first of many victories at the All England Club. The 2024 NextGen champion saved a set point before coming from 5-2 down in the subsequent tie-break – in part thanks to successive aces – to celebrate the latest milestone win of a fine breakthrough season. 'It's super special for me – my favourite grand slam since my childhood,' the world number 54 said in his on-court interview following victory in two hours and a minute. 'It's just a pleasure being here. I'm sorry winning against a British guy but thanks a lot for the support here, thanks for respecting the tennis today. Jacob's a great friend, a great player. 'I've been working a lot and believing that I can play good tennis. The key is work, believe and dream.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
