Wimbledon is privy to its quirky tales of newly-discovered adoration. Two years ago it fell in love with Marketa Vondrousova, the mural of tattoos as striking as her on-court talents, cat-sitter bookings and, of course, odds-spoiling triumph.
Come Wednesday a mutual empathy may well linger in the All England air when the Czech meets Emma Raducanu in the second round, two former Grand Slam champions facing off as no strangers to cruel setbacks, unwelcome noise and heightened spotlights that both refuse to let detract from their credentials as major winners.
Vondrousova, the subtle and oft-overlooked assassin lurking in the shadows with giant-slayer capabilities; Raducanu, a still undeniable face of tennis who persists to swat at unrivalled pressure stemming from one of tennis’ iconic Slam debuts.
Between injury and fluctuating form, there are notable parallels in the respective rocky journeys before, around and since Slam success. How both would relish a disturbance-free plot line.
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Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal win their first-round matches on day one at Wimbledon.
“I remember watching her when I was young make the French Open final,” said Raducanu. “She was young there as well. Always seemed way above me and further ahead 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 announced herself in style at the 2019 French Open when she became the first teenager to reach the final of a Grand Slam since Caroline Wozniacki at the 2009 US Open, eventually falling to Ash Barty.
Wrist surgery would then rule her out of the latter stages of the season before she returned to clinch silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 during a run that saw her knock out two top-10 opponents.
She then missed three of the four Grand Slams in 2022 due to further injury issues, before stunning Ons Jabeur as the first unseeded ladies’ singles Wimbledon champion and the lowest-ranked Wimbledon champion in the Open Era in 2023. Her stock had snowballed across the two weeks from unheralded obscurity to grass-court artist, loveable tales of her cat Frankie – who now lives with ex-husband Stepan – combining with as much to construct the All England Club’s latest protagonist.
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Emma Raducanu laughs off rumours of a romantic relationship with Carlos Alcaraz ahead of her tough Wimbledon first-round clash with Mimi Xu on Monday.
Such has been the rollercoaster theme to her career, Vondrousova became just the second reigning Wimbledon women’s singles champion of the Open Era to lose in the first round as she was beaten by world No 83 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro the following year. What’s more, it marked the first time a reigning Slam champion had lost in the first round since… Raducanu at the 2022 US Open.
Her progress was derailed again in early 2025 when a shoulder injury ruled her out for an extended period, only for Vondrousova – in Vondrousova fashion – to respond emphatically by beating Wang Xinyu to Berlin Open glory just a week out from Wimbledon, having taken out world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on her route to the final.
“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 obviously won Berlin. Beat top players on the way to the title. So really difficult match. She’s obviously won Wimbledon. Amazing grass court player and amazing player in general.
“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, more than most, can attest to the lofted expectations and yo-yoing fortunes that accompany victory, let alone her victory for the ages.
The British No 1 had met Vondrousova amid her own defining breakthrough back in 2021, recording a 6-2 6-4 victory in the second round of her main draw Wimbledon debut, which saw her make it as far as the fourth round.
“I remember I played really good tennis,” Raducanu said 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 remember that was, yeah, a big change, a big turning point for me. I’m looking forward, again, to have the opportunity to be in the second round. 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 feel like she had it way worse because she is from bigger country,” said Vondrousova.
“She had crazy pressure. I feel like she has it in every tournament all the time,” Vondrousova said when asked if she could relate to Raducanu’s journey since fame arrived.
“I feel like she’s getting better and better with it, but yeah, overall it must have been crazy for her to live all of that.”
Glimmers of returning form have appeared over the last year, though, with Raducanu breaking back into the top 50 for the first time since September 2022 in March and reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final. She notably encountered Vondrousova again when she was beaten as a wild card entry at the Abu Dhabi Open.
“She is at home here, so I expect a tough match,” Vondrousova said. “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 feel like she’s a great player. She has both strong forehand, backhand. She’s a, very great player. I expect tough one on Wednesday.”
Raducanu sealed her spot in the second round by beating Welsh teenager Mimi Xu as one of seven Brits to win on Monday, while Vondrousova overcame recent Nottingham Open champion McCartney Kessler. Awaiting the winner is a potential matchup with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who takes on Marie Bouzkova amid her search for a first Grand Slam victory of the year after two finals defeats in Melbourne and Roland Garros.
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