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There is something about Wimbledon which really makes Emma Raducanu tick.

Coming into her home Grand Slam, the British number one tried to temper expectations after a difficult grass-court swing.

The belief is already back.

Raducanu outclassed 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova on Wednesday, moving into the last 32 for the third time in her four SW19 appearances.

The assured performance set her up nicely for a shot at world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a blockbuster third-round clash on Friday.

“I think that was one of the best matches I’ve played in a long time, which I’m very proud of,” said the 22-year-old, who is ranked 40th in the world.

Before the tournament started, Raducanu said she did not “truthfully expect much” from herself over the next fortnight.

After losing in Eastbourne last week to Australian teenager Maya Joint, Raducanu admitted she needed to get her “head in the game” for the start of Wimbledon.

She explained she had received some “pretty bad” personal news which she wished to keep private and, on the tennis side of her life, has been coping with ongoing back spasms since the off season.

But the 2021 US Open champion came through her opening match – a tricky occasion against British teenager Mimi Xu – without a major scare and upped her level again in a dominant victory over Vondrousova.

“That’s quite a statement that Emma has put out,” said former British number one Annabel Croft, who was analysing the match for BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I don’t think she could be hitting the ball any better, I really don’t. She was absolutely middling it.

“I would think that would be quite worrying for Sabalenka actually because she’ll be facing Raducanu at her best.

What helps Raducanu flourish at Wimbledon is, of course, having a game which allows her to thrive on the grass.

Her athleticism and fluid movement on the quicker surface is a key strength, allowing her to get into position to inject the extra aggression she is trying to find in her shots.

Along with her serve, the forehand is a weapon which she has been particularly looking to further develop with coach Mark Petchey.

Wimbledon’s shot quality analysis – which measures the success of a player’s key shots on a scale of one to 10 based on speed, spin, depth and impact – rated her forehand at 8. 2.

That is well above the average of 7. 0 in the women’s draw.

“I think what’s going to be the real difference for me to get up to the top [of the rankings] is going to be the aggressive side,” said Raducanu.

Since bringing Petchey back into her team, Raducanu has cut a much more relaxed figure and it is allowing her to play with greater freedom.

Having a tight-knit and trusted group around her is a key factor in the progress she made this season.

Raducanu has had a tumultuous time since her stunning US Open victory, but she has regained her place in the world’s top 40 after a productive few months.

Feeling “at home” at Wimbledon and being able to hang out with friends, who she was seen taking selfies with on the All England Club balcony after beating Vondrousova, is helping her mood.

“It’s so rad. I have all of my friends here in one place. They’ve been my rock through everything,” added Raducanu, who has reached the fourth round in 2021 and 2024.

“I had the same sort of routine last year. I just really cherish these moments because we know how hard it is week to week playing on the tour.

Everton have moved closer to reaching an agreement with Villarreal over signing France Under-21s striker Thierno Barry.

The 22-year-old has a £34. 5m release clause with the Spanish club and is understood to be keen on a move to Merseyside.

Barry scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 38 games last season as Villarreal finished fifth in La Liga to qualify for the Champions League.

He would join as a replacement for striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin who left Everton upon the expiry of his contract this week.

Forward Armando Broja also exited when his loan ended, returning to Chelsea without the deal being made permanent.

Barry was born in Lyon and left French club Sochaux aged 19 to play in the Belgian second division with Beveren.

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will come out of retirement in 2026, Saudi boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh appeared to claim on Wednesday.

Fury, 36, retired from boxing in January after losing a title fight rematch with Oleksandr Usyk by unanimous decision the previous month.

“The ‘Gypsy King’ will be back,” Alalshikh said in a post on X.

“I talked with him, and I have his word to have him in Riyadh season in 2026. We have a rabbit to hunt. “

Fury often referred to Usyk as a “rabbit” in the build-up to their title fights, both of which were held in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The Ukrainian won their first encounter in May 2024 by split decision to become the heavyweight division’s first undisputed four-belt champion.

In a post on Instagram, Fury wrote “Let’s see what 2026 brings” over a photo of him shaking hands with Alalshikh, who is chairman of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority.

Alalshikh has been a key figure in the rise of boxing in Saudi Arabia, bringing a string of high-profile fights to the country.

However, earlier on Wednesday Fury suggested he might be more interested in fighting on home soil.

“Who would I rather fight, right now? Usyk. Because I want my revenge in England,” he told reporters at an International Boxing Association event in Istanbul.

“I don’t believe I’ve got a fair shout the last two times. That’s all I want. I want a fair shout, and I don’t believe I’ve got a fair shout the last two times.

“That’s the one I want, but if I don’t get that then it’d be [Anthony] Joshua, the biggest British fight that will ever happen.

“It would break all records, and it would sell out 100,000 at Wembley in an hour. And it’s a fight I think can happen, for sure, if I decide to come back. “

Fury is yet to fight Joshua, who was stopped by compatriot Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September, his most recent outing.

Wimbledon is all about moments. While Katie Boulter is left wondering whether hers will ever come, fellow Briton Sonay Kartal is grasping hers.

Boulter had made the dream start at SW19 by beating ninth seed Paula Badosa in the opening round, but then let a lead slip in a three-set defeat by lucky loser Solana Sierra.

It is the second successive year the British number two has failed to reach the third round at Wimbledon.

“Of course it hurts, it’s a really tough pill to swallow – it always is here,” said Boulter.

Her exit was all the more disappointing given how well she had played against Spaniard Badosa.

She was the underdog in that match and seemed to relish that status, but was the favourite against Argentine rookie Sierra.

A fightback from 5-2 down to take the first set showed promise, but Boulter made too many mistakes as her 21-year-old opponent won the next two sets for a 6-7 (9-7) 6-2 6-1 win.

“You can look at a piece of paper and be like, ‘oh, this is a terrible loss’,” added the 28-year-old.

In contrast, Kartal appears to be thriving at Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise in the last 12 months and beat 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko in the first round – her third win against a top-20 opponent this year. She followed that by powering past Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to reach the third round.

Kartal is a recognisable presence on the court with her tattoos and distinctly retro tennis kit, and appears to be enjoying playing on the big stage.

Her path to professional tennis is not a well-trodden one, having had to largely self-fund her career, something she credits with helping her to mature very quickly.

“When I was growing up, I kind of did quite a lot of tournaments on my own just because I couldn’t afford to pay a coach week in and week out,” said Kartal, who has climbed around 250 places in the rankings over the past year to 51st.

“I think it was great. It helped me develop as a teenager, grow up super fast, made me much more mature, hold myself accountable to a lot of things. “

Next up for Kartal is a match against French qualifier Diane Parry, who beat 12th seed and world number 15 Diana Shnaider to reach the third round.

The British number three is determined to keep her good form going as she looks to reach the fourth round for the first time.

“I think having a home Slam, I think that’s one arena I really want to perform well in front of the people that mean the most to me, friends and family and everyone,” added Kartal.

It has been a Wimbledon of upsets so far.

Eight top-10 seeds across the men’s and women’s singles draws exited in the first round – the most at a Grand Slam in the Open era – before Jasmine Paolini joined the exodus in the second round on Wednesday.

Among those avoiding shock defeats on day three were defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka, beating Ollie Tarvet and Marie Bouzkova to progress to the third round.

On day four the other side of the draw will play for a second time, with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, men’s world number one Jannik Sinner and Britain’s Jack Draper among those in action.

Many eyes will be on Centre Court from 13:30 BST as 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic takes on Britain’s Dan Evans.

That match is followed by five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, who faces America’s Caty McNally.

World number one Sinner will close play on Centre when the Italian comes up against Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic.

On Court One, seventh seed Mirra Andreeva opens against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti at 13:00.

That is followed by a match-up between Greece’s Maria Sakkari and 11th seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion.

Britain’s fourth seed Draper will close play on Court One against former US Open winner Marin Cilic, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2017.

While Draper, Evans and Pinnington Jones fly the flag for Great Britain in the singles, 22 British players will be in first-round doubles action throughout Wednesday.

Queen’s champions class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Julian Cash and class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Lloyd Glasspool are first up on Court 16 against Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens, while it is an all-British affair fourth on Court 17 with sixth seeds Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski taking on Charles Broom and Joshua Paris.

Britain’s Jamie Murray and partner Rajeev Ram take on Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler first on Court 14, where British pair Johannus Monday and David Stevenson will be facing Mattia Bellucci and Fabian Marozsan later in the day.

Last on Court Four are British pair class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Emily Appleton and class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Heather Watson who take on Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, while last on Court Five is the all-British duo of class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Billy Harris and href=”https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/36666910″ class=”ssrcss-k8mrr8-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0″> class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Marcus Willis playing Alexander Bublik and Flavio Cobolli.

Britain’s Alicia Barnett and Eden Silva are up against Camila Osorio and Alycia Parks first on Court Six, and Lui Maxted and Connor Thomson face eighth seeds Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus last on Court Eight.

Third up on Court Nine will be Britain’s Olivia Nicholls, partnering Slovenia’s Tereza Mihalikova against Kamilla Rakhimova and Anna Siskova.

Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur opens on Court Two against Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, with Czech defending women’s champion Barbora Krejcikova taking on American Caroline Dolehide on the same court later in the day.

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So far, there have been a lot of upsets.

The top ten men’s and women’s singles draws saw their teams exit on Wednesday in the second round, which is the most at a Grand Slam in the history of the Open.

In the third round, Ollie Tarvet and Marie Bouzkova, the reigning men’s champion, and Aryna Sabalenka, the women’s world number one, were two of those who avoided shock defeat on day three.

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, and Britain’s Jack Draper will compete for a second time on day four of the draw.

Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, takes on American Caty McNally in the following match.

When the Italian takes on Aleksandar Vukic from Australia, the world’s number one player, Sinner, will close play on Centre.

At 13:00, seventh seed Mirra Andreeva squares off against Lucia Bronzetti from Italy on Court One.

Maria Sakkari, the Greek tennis player, and Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, square off after that.

Fourth-seed Draper, a former Wimbledon champion, will face Marin Cilic, a former US Open champion, in the final of 2017.

22 British players will play first-round doubles action on Wednesday while Draper, Evans, and Pinnington Jones will fly the flag for Great Britain in the singles.

The first-place matchup between Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens takes place on Court 16, while the reigning champions of Queen’s Day, class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Julian Cash and class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Lloyd Glasspool, are in fourth place on Court 17 against Charles Broom and Joshua Paris.

Later on Court 14, British duo Johannus Monday and David Stevenson will square off against Mattia Bellucci and Fabian Marozsan.

class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Emily Appleton and class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Heather Watson, who play Alexander Bublik and Flavio Cobolli, are the last two British duo on Court Four, while class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Billy Harris and href=”https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/36666910″ class=”ssrcss-k8mrr8-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0″> class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Marcus Willis play them all in English.

On Court Six, Alicia Barnett and Eden Silva of Great Britain square off against Camila Osorio and Alycia Parks, and Lui Maxted and Connor Thomson of eighth-placed Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus of last.

Olivia Nicholls, a Briton, will face Kamilla Rakhimova and Anna Siskova on Court Nine, a Slovenian.

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