16:31
Raducanu 2-4 Garcia* (*indicates next server)
Raducanu now finds her rhythm on the serve and in the rallies. It is also quite windy at Centrum.
A slip from Raducanu as Garcia hits a forehand behind her, 30-30. She gets up slowly but can continue.
Garcia volley winner, breaking point. Deep Garcia returns and Raducanu can only cash in on her answer. The Brit is broken again.
4:25 p.m.
Raducanu* 2-3 Garcia (*indicates the next server)
Class from Garcia for misdirecting Raducanu with an inside-out forehand. And she holds the T with a big first serve.
4:21 pm
Raducanu 2-2 Garcia* (*indicates next server)
Much better service game from Raducanu as she races to 40-0. Garcia drills a backhand return at Raducanu’s feet and pulls the foul.
Raducanu double fault, 40-30. Garcia backhand returns wide. The spectator to my left stands and applauds.
4:16 PM
Raducanu* 1-2 Garcia (*indicates the next server)
Garcia taps a forehand into the tram lines, 15-30. Garcia backhanded into the net, 30-40. breaking point.
Raducanu fails to return Garcia’s wide service, deuce. Garcia makes a high backhand volley, second break point.
Garcia grabs a forehand and Raducanu immediately breaks back. Could be a theme of the contest.
4:12 PM
Raducanu 0-2 Garcia* (*indicates the next server)
Deep return takes out Raducanu 15-30. Volley winner of Garcia, 15-40.
Garcia hits a backhand return which is issued, the umpire overrules and Raducanu challenges. However, Hawkeye confirms that the ball was within the baseline. Bad line judge decision. Bad start from Raducanu.
16:08
First set: Emma Raducanu* 0-1 Caroline Garcia (*indicates next server)
Garcia double foul on the opening point. Then Raducanu drills a backhand winner down the line, 0-30.
Garcia attacks the net and Raducanu’s defensive backhand goes wide. Raducanu returns to the net, 30-30.
Garcia forehand winner in the corner, very nice, 40-30. Garcia backhand winner and she loves.
A letter of intent from the French.
16:04
Nervous Emma?
A few shafts from Raducanu, hopefully she saves her best shots for the match!
4 p.m.
Here we go!
Standing ovation for Raducanu as she walks onto the field for her match with Garcia. Center Court is doing well.
15:52
Emma Raducanu Proves Queen of the Opportunity by Taking Wimbledon Center Court by Storm
Oliver Brown was at Wimbledon earlier this week to watch Emma Raducanu’s first round progression.
As Emma Raducanu strode through the double doors for her ‘central unveiling’, Wimbledon Renaming the players’ Center Court entrances lofty this year, she allowed herself a moment to grasp the grandeur of the setting.
Remarkably, for a young woman whose face graces nearly every billboard in southwest London, she had never graced tennis’ greatest citadel before.
That novelty, coupled with her side-loading and faltering adjustments to the grind of life on tour, had encouraged ideas she might crumble.
Consider those theories emphatically debunked.
3:35 pm
Raducanu says quick wins are key to Wimbledon hopes
Emma Raducanu hopes to rediscover her grand slam efficiency at Wimbledon this year, as he faces France’s Caroline Garcia this afternoon.
The 19-year-old did not drop a set in 10 games at the US Open after also winning three straight sets at Wimbledon.
Since then, however, Raducanu has been dragged into a number of long bouts, and her opening round win over Alison Van Uytvanck on Monday was her first two-set slam match since the US Open final.
With her history of injuries and recent recovery from a side injury, it could be crucial not to stay on court too long for Raducanu’s hopes of a good run, and she’ll be looking for more of the same against Garcia.
“I think it helps in slams that you get a day off in between, so I think that’s quite valuable,” says Raducanu.
“I felt good there. There were some difficult moments in the second set [against Van Uytvanck] physically, but I said to myself, ‘Go on, if you win in two sets, you don’t have to play three’. That’s the tactic.”
Returning to Wimbledon completes a first full year on tour for Raducanu, whose tennis training was taken to the next level by her remarkable early success.
Familiarity comes with ups and downs, with Raducanu saying, “I think it only helps with experience. Every tournament or match you play, you learn something. It all helps it be a positive tool for the future.
“In a way, if you’ve never played against anyone, it also helps, because nobody knows you, nobody knows your game. That’s something I experienced positively last summer because nobody really knew who I was.
“Since then I think people have definitely watched me and leveled up and upped their game and played great tennis. I didn’t necessarily play badly in many of the matches.
“I think coming back here will always be a special tournament for me, my home tournament. I have incredible memories. I’m just looking forward to playing here again.”
Garcia, a former world number four now in 55th place, is in good shape after winning a title in Germany over the weekend but needed a tiebreak in the final set to take British wildcard Yuriko Miyazaki into the final. to beat in the first round.
“Caroline is a great opponent,” said Raducanu. “I played against her in Indian Wells earlier this year and it was a tough game. She plays tennis pretty fast. I’m ready for that.”