Xu hopes to make Wales proud at Wimbledon

Yahoo

a day ago

Wimbledon 2025
Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage details.
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Swansea tennis sensation Mimi Xu hopes to make Wales proud when she makes her senior Wimbledon debut on Monday.
The 17 year-old will step out on court one with British number one Emma Raducanu as her first-round opponent.
"To get to play my first major Wimbledon, it means absolutely everything to me," said Xu.
"I've got nothing to lose in a match-up like that, I think I can really go out there and play freely and show everyone what I can do."
Xu carries the hopes of the nation on her young shoulders as she is the first Welsh player to enter the Wimbledon main singles draw in 20 years, with Rebecca Llewellyn being the last.
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Special talent
"I really hope that I'm making Wales proud, I was in Swansea for 13 years so it's really nice to be doing it for them as well," she said.
Members from her former club are now clambering for tickets to see their superstar in action at SW19.
"There will be a lot of us heading up," said David Williams, head coach at Swansea Tennis and Squash club.
"It's welcome to the big time isn't it? Your first match in Wimbledon against Raducanu, a fellow Brit, a US Open champion, it just doesn't get bigger.
"She'll be on prime time TV, she'll be on a show court, you can't wish for more, it's an incredible draw and I know Mimi will be excited about that.
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"Yes, Emma is going to be the heavy favourite, but it will be up to Mimi to cause a big shock and if she can calm the nerves and excitement I think she'll put out a good performance."
Williams worked with Xu from ages four to eight and he said it was "pretty evident that we had something special on our hands."
"It was clear that she had phenomenal hand eye co-ordination and that she was a complete athlete.
"She was stronger, taller, faster than most of her peers at the time.
"It was the way she trained, her determination, her focus, and she was almost training like a professional even at that really tender age, it was impressive.
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"What probably struck me the most with Mimi was her ability to learn, I've never seen anything like it since."
Making history
Xu was given a Wimbledon wildcard for the ladies singles and also for the doubles where she will compete with fellow Brit Ella McDonald.
It follows an impressive season on the grass court, with the teenager notching up notable wins at the Birmingham, Ilkley, and Nottingham Open events earlier this month.
Xu earned her career-best win by shocking American top seed Alycia Parks - the world number 52 - on her way to the Birmingham quarter-finals.
Such performances have seen Xu rocket up the world rankings, currently standing at 302.
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Xu already has a notable history with Wimbledon.
She remains the youngest player in the open era to receive a wildcard into the women's qualifying event at just 14. It came after winning both the Under-16 and Under-18 British national titles in 2022.
Xu could also feature as one of the main contenders for the junior title if she opts to play that event this year.
She finished runner-up in the junior Wimbledon girls' doubles last year alongside fellow Brit Mika Stojsavljevic.
Xu peaked at number eight in the junior world rankings last year, but has focused on the women's circuit this season.
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Inspiring the next generation
Xu started started playing at Swansea Tennis and Squash Club, Swansea Tennis Centre and Swansea Regional Player Development Centre before attending the LTA National Academy in Loughborough.
She now trains at the LTA National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, alongside British number ones Raducanu and Jack Draper, while juggling her A Level studies.
Davies believes Xu's success will inspire the next generation of Welsh talent.
"It will be huge, if you see it you can be it and that will inspire the next batch of talented Welsh players coming through," he said.
"It also shows that Welsh tennis has got the talent and the infrastructure, there are quality coaches and there is a performance pathway.
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"It just proves to everyone that you can make it to the top."
As well as Xu's representation, Wales' number one male player James Story played in the Wimbledon qualifiers, while Felix Bockelmann-Evans will make his debut when he competes in the junior boys' doubles.