Wimbledon star shared her one main gripe after playing against Emma Raducanu
British tennis star Emma Raducanu saw her Wimbledon campaign come to an end on Friday after losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, having beaten Marketa Vondrousova before that
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu in straight sets in the third round of Wimbledon
(Image: Visionhaus )
Emma Raducanu's aspirations for Wimbledon glory were dashed on Friday night as the 2021 US Open winner exited in the third round.
The British tennis star faced a tough challenge in Aryna Sabalenka, the world's top-ranked player, on the renowned Centre Court. Despite being the underdog, Raducanu offered a spirited performance, ultimately succumbing to Sabalenka in an intense match, with scores of 7-6, 6-4.
The 22-year-old once again enjoyed the undivided support from the Centre Court spectators, who had already shown her abundant affection during the tournament's earlier stages.
Having won over the home crowd at Wimbledon, Raducanu delivered an impressive performance on Wednesday, overcoming Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. It has been almost 50 years since Britain celebrated a female champion at the Championships, and the anticipation for a domestic victory was palpable.
Nevertheless, the Mirror report how Vondrousova conveyed her frustration regarding the pronounced support for Raducanu throughout their contest. Speaking after their match, the Czech competitor shared her honest sentiments: "It's very difficult with her in the centre, it seems to me that she's a complete idol here.
"The centre was packed and she was still teasing people and demanding that they support her. She was very excited herself, from the second ball she was shouting all over the court. It's obvious that she's enjoying it."
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The 2023 Wimbledon champion admitted the SW19 crowd support for Emma Raducanu was overwhelming
(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images )
She admitted to her one major gripe with the occasion, adding: "It's just not pleasant. And when you play this well, you're in a good mood and it's hard to get out of it."
There were high hopes that the buoyant home crowd could inspire Raducanu to another notable win on Friday night, yet Sabalenka took a gruelling 74-minute first set.
Raducanu surged ahead to a 4-1 lead in the second set before Sabalenka mounted a comeback, stringing together five consecutive games to book her place in the second week of Wimbledon.
Britain's Emma Raducanu (L) shaking hands with Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova
(Image: AFP via Getty Images )
Sabalenka had words of praise for Raducanu, acknowledging her impressive play: "She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win. I fight for every point like crazy. I'm super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I'm pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon."
An emotional Raducanu reflected on her performance in the post-match press conference, taking positives despite the result: "It's hard to take a loss like that," she said. "At the same time, I'm playing Aryna, who is number one in the world, a great champion. I have to be proud of my effort today.
The Brit put up a spirited display against Sabalenka in the third round
(Image: AFP via Getty Images )
"It's nice of her to say that, but I think it was pretty clear the difference. In the big moments, she was able to convert, she was able to hit some incredible shots. I just need to keep working and get back to the drawing board and improve a lot more.
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"It does give me confidence because I think the problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. Having a match like that where I had chances in both sets, it does give me confidence."
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