Archive July 5, 2025

The sense of disappointment on Emma Raducanu’s face as she exited Centre Court stemmed only from the knowledge that she had gone so close.

The British number one was under no illusion about her task as she stepped out under the roof to a raucous reception before facing the world’s best women’s player, Aryna Sabalenka, on Friday night.

After producing one of her best displays in recent times to sweep aside 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova in the previous round, Raducanu hit the heights she knew she must attain.

It was not enough on this occasion.

But the two hours which unfolded proved beyond doubt that Raducanu is ready to take the next step on her road back to the top, and begin challenging the biggest names for the biggest prizes.

“It’s hard to take a loss like that. At the same time, I’m playing Aryna, who is a great champion. I have to be proud of my effort today,” reflected a tearful Raducanu.

“It does give me confidence because I think the problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. “

The former US Open champion went toe-to-toe with – and frequently outplayed – a three-time major winner who has held the number one ranking for the past nine months, and reached five finals in the past six Grand Slams she has contested.

In a captivating contest, Raducanu had the best part of 15,000 spectators gripped as she ensured the potential for a major shock never quite disappeared until the very end.

She said it herself before the match: she needs to bridge the gap to the very top.

This was a huge step towards achieving that goal.

Speaking in her on-court interview, Sabalenka said she expects Raducanu to return to the top 10 “soon”.

The Belarusian later added: “She’s fighting. She’s playing much better. She’s more consistent.

The sense that Raducanu could push Sabalenka was not founded solely in her impressive start at the All England Club, but also in her increasingly positive demeanour on the court.

The joy has returned to the 22-year-old’s game, and it is all the more complete for it.

It was evident at the Miami Open in March, where former British number one Mark Petchey first joined her coaching team on an informal basis, as she showed immense fight against Emma Navarro to record only her third win over a top-10 player.

She has praised Petchey’s influence – this week giving him an “11 out of 10” for his work – and said a conversation about their future relationship will take place once “the dust settles” before the start of the hard court swing.

More recently, in her own words, a “free and expressive” Raducanu competed with a near-permanent smile on her face as she joined forces with Katie Boulter in the doubles at Queen’s.

There was another reminder of her new outlook when she raised the microphone to the crowd during her post-match interview on Wednesday, as they serenaded her with encouragement as she discussed the prospect of taking on Sabalenka.

It was clear in the intensity and determination with which she continued to compete despite the setbacks that came against the top seed.

And again when, teary-eyed in her news conference, she joked that her way of dealing with the defeat was to eat a chocolate bar in the locker room.

“It’s going to take me a few days to process. But at the same time it really motivates me,” Raducanu said.

It is the positive manner of her defeat that sets Raducanu up for what comes next in her career.

The qualifier who stunned the world with her triumph in New York four years ago has proven that she thrives on the biggest stages.

She was not overawed by this occasion, carrying the weight of the British number one tag at Wimbledon amid an electric atmosphere, with the crowd eager to celebrate her every success.

She did not shrink when the tough moments inevitably arrived, withstanding seven set points in the first set and showing the resolve to go again in the second, each further proof that she is moving in the right direction.

In the years since her fairytale US Open triumph, she has had wrist and ankle operations, endured injury setbacks, contended with increased expectations and tried to compete despite consistent changes to her coaching set up.

This time last year, she was ranked 135th as she continued to rebuild her career, climbing back from outside the top 300 to return to the top 50.

Ultimately, the next step on her road back to the top of the sport is competing with, and overcoming, opponents like Sabalenka.

Raducanu fell to former world number one Iga Swiatek at both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year – winning just four games across as many sets – to highlight the gulf that exists.

But this was the acid test of Raducanu 2. 0’s progress – and the results were encouraging.

“I think when I look back at my career, I’m really going to remember that match because you play for those moments, to really be competing toe-to-toe with anyone, but especially with the very best,” Raducanu said.

“I think I did make good progress in the last few months, 100%, with the consistency and the work I’ve been doing.

For world number 14 Andrey Rublev, success at Wimbledon looks like one of two things.

Win – or “lose it in a mature, adult way”.

Mature is perhaps not always the word that has been associated with Rublev. Prone to outbursts and temper tantrums, the eccentric character has often found himself in the headlines for his volatile behaviour rather than his on-court talent.

But the 27-year-old has been working on controlling his emotions.

Bringing two-time major champion Marat Safin, no stranger to an on-court outburst himself, on board has helped Rublev address those problems.

Rublev has never gone beyond a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, losing 10 times at this stage.

But in the context of his mental battles, this time last year at the All England Club marked a particular low point. He went out in the first round and made headlines for repeatedly smashing his racquet into his leg in frustration.

That was just one incident of many like it.

Last year he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call in the semi-final against Alexander Bublik, losing all his prize money and ranking points for the week.

That decision was later overturned with points and money reinstated, but the persistent outbursts sparked concern among peers and fans.

At the Paris Masters he drew blood again from smashing his racquet into his knee.

Rublev has cited last year’s SW19 moment when he knew things needed to change and has since opened up about his mental health struggles.

“I would say it was not dealing with the issue of losing or not losing, it was not the issue even of tennis,” he revealed.

“I was just dealing with myself, just to face myself, to stop running away from myself and I was just dealing with that. What’s happening inside of me, why I feel this, why I feel that, why I am doing this? “

Away from the court, Rublev is a popular character on the Tour. He has frequently expressed his opposition to the war in Ukraine, while he also set up a clothing brand, which he wears for his matches, where all profits are used to help children with critical illnesses.

But being kinder to himself has been an issue and working more frequently with a psychologist, combined with the addition of Safin to his coaching set-up, proved crucial.

“Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft way,” explained Rublev.

“He’s super strict – he gives you the heavy truth. “

Safin, a former world number one and winner of the US Open and Australian Open, was notorious for his temper, estimating he smashed 700 racquets in his career.

That level of passion, and sheer yearning to succeed, which the two share is never going to be stamped out all together.

But while Rublev has yet to win a Tour title this season, he showed improved control over his emotions at the Doha Open by winning three consecutive three-set matches, despite dropping the second set in all three and winning dramatic final-set tie-breaks in two of them.

“I know that everything is connected. If you feel some problems with yourself, it will affect everything,” he added.

“Sooner or later you will have problems with your family, with relationships, with work, everywhere. When you have peace with yourself, then the rest takes cares of itself. “

But Rublev has learned to understand it doesn’t have to all be about winning. For now at least, that is enough.

“There are two options,” he said. “Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way.

For world number 14 Andrey Rublev, success at Wimbledon looks like one of two things.

Win – or “lose it in a mature, adult way”.

Mature is perhaps not always the word that has been associated with Rublev. Prone to outbursts and temper tantrums, the eccentric character has often found himself in the headlines for his volatile behaviour rather than his on-court talent.

But the 27-year-old has been working on controlling his emotions.

Bringing two-time major champion Marat Safin, no stranger to an on-court outburst himself, on board has helped Rublev address those problems.

Rublev has never gone beyond a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, losing 10 times at this stage.

But in the context of his mental battles, this time last year at the All England Club marked a particular low point. He went out in the first round and made headlines for repeatedly smashing his racquet into his leg in frustration.

That was just one incident of many like it.

Last year he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call in the semi-final against Alexander Bublik, losing all his prize money and ranking points for the week.

That decision was later overturned with points and money reinstated, but the persistent outbursts sparked concern among peers and fans.

At the Paris Masters he drew blood again from smashing his racquet into his knee.

Rublev has cited last year’s SW19 moment when he knew things needed to change and has since opened up about his mental health struggles.

“I would say it was not dealing with the issue of losing or not losing, it was not the issue even of tennis,” he revealed.

“I was just dealing with myself, just to face myself, to stop running away from myself and I was just dealing with that. What’s happening inside of me, why I feel this, why I feel that, why I am doing this? “

Away from the court, Rublev is a popular character on the Tour. He has frequently expressed his opposition to the war in Ukraine, while he also set up a clothing brand, which he wears for his matches, where all profits are used to help children with critical illnesses.

But being kinder to himself has been an issue and working more frequently with a psychologist, combined with the addition of Safin to his coaching set-up, proved crucial.

“Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft way,” explained Rublev.

“He’s super strict – he gives you the heavy truth. “

Safin, a former world number one and winner of the US Open and Australian Open, was notorious for his temper, estimating he smashed 700 racquets in his career.

That level of passion, and sheer yearning to succeed, which the two share is never going to be stamped out all together.

But while Rublev has yet to win a Tour title this season, he showed improved control over his emotions at the Doha Open by winning three consecutive three-set matches, despite dropping the second set in all three and winning dramatic final-set tie-breaks in two of them.

“I know that everything is connected. If you feel some problems with yourself, it will affect everything,” he added.

“Sooner or later you will have problems with your family, with relationships, with work, everywhere. When you have peace with yourself, then the rest takes cares of itself. “

But Rublev has learned to understand it doesn’t have to all be about winning. For now at least, that is enough.

“There are two options,” he said. “Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way.

For world number 14 Andrey Rublev, success at Wimbledon looks like one of two things.

Win – or “lose it in a mature, adult way”.

Mature is perhaps not always the word that has been associated with Rublev. Prone to outbursts and temper tantrums, the eccentric character has often found himself in the headlines for his volatile behaviour rather than his on-court talent.

But the 27-year-old has been working on controlling his emotions.

Bringing two-time major champion Marat Safin, no stranger to an on-court outburst himself, on board has helped Rublev address those problems.

Rublev has never gone beyond a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, losing 10 times at this stage.

But in the context of his mental battles, this time last year at the All England Club marked a particular low point. He went out in the first round and made headlines for repeatedly smashing his racquet into his leg in frustration.

That was just one incident of many like it.

Last year he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call in the semi-final against Alexander Bublik, losing all his prize money and ranking points for the week.

That decision was later overturned with points and money reinstated, but the persistent outbursts sparked concern among peers and fans.

At the Paris Masters he drew blood again from smashing his racquet into his knee.

Rublev has cited last year’s SW19 moment when he knew things needed to change and has since opened up about his mental health struggles.

“I would say it was not dealing with the issue of losing or not losing, it was not the issue even of tennis,” he revealed.

“I was just dealing with myself, just to face myself, to stop running away from myself and I was just dealing with that. What’s happening inside of me, why I feel this, why I feel that, why I am doing this? “

Away from the court, Rublev is a popular character on the Tour. He has frequently expressed his opposition to the war in Ukraine, while he also set up a clothing brand, which he wears for his matches, where all profits are used to help children with critical illnesses.

But being kinder to himself has been an issue and working more frequently with a psychologist, combined with the addition of Safin to his coaching set-up, proved crucial.

“Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft way,” explained Rublev.

“He’s super strict – he gives you the heavy truth. “

Safin, a former world number one and winner of the US Open and Australian Open, was notorious for his temper, estimating he smashed 700 racquets in his career.

That level of passion, and sheer yearning to succeed, which the two share is never going to be stamped out all together.

But while Rublev has yet to win a Tour title this season, he showed improved control over his emotions at the Doha Open by winning three consecutive three-set matches, despite dropping the second set in all three and winning dramatic final-set tie-breaks in two of them.

“I know that everything is connected. If you feel some problems with yourself, it will affect everything,” he added.

“Sooner or later you will have problems with your family, with relationships, with work, everywhere. When you have peace with yourself, then the rest takes cares of itself. “

But Rublev has learned to understand it doesn’t have to all be about winning. For now at least, that is enough.

“There are two options,” he said. “Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way.