"To be watching Rafa and Novak at such close range and to be able to try to learn from them, it's a really special feeling" - Emma Raducanu

A lot has changed for Emma Raducanu in the space of 12 months. Last year, she was just another young player who made her Wimbledon main draw debut with zero fanfare on Court 18.

In her first-round match against Vitalia Diatchenko at SW19 last year, she came from 4-1 down to take the first set and then proceeded to bagel the Russian to win 7-6(4), 6-0. By the end of the second round, where she beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-2, 6-4, she was the sole British woman left in the singles. By the end of the third round, where she beat Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 7-5, she was the only Brit left in the competition.

The eyes of the tennis world and the hopes of a nation were firmly on the teenager, who fought hard against Ajla Tomljanovic in the fourth round but had to retire due to breathing issues.

Raducanu enters Wimbledon this year as one of the strongest players in the draw and a contender to take home the Venus Rosewater Dish. Speaking at a pre-tournament press conference, the 19-year-old said that she’s looking forward to competing on the hallowed grass lawns once again.

“I'm very much looking forward to being back here at Wimbledon, I think that it's the most special place to be playing tennis, and just a very inspiring and motivating place to be. Definitely looking forward to stepping out on court on Monday and yeah, I’m ready to go,” Emma Raducanu said.

Her Wimbledon exploits and her 2021 US Open triumph have seen Raducanu’s Wimbledon experience change this year. She’s staying in a different place and practising on the courts where she gets to rub shoulders with the game’s finest players, an experience she is relishing.

“I'm 19 (years old), like just to be watching Rafa and Novak at such close range and to be able to sort of take parts and try learn from them and you know, walk amongst these great players it's still special. Like I don't think it really ever changes when you're watching those greats and it's amazing to have them around. It's only my second Wimbledon, I'm really new to this so it's still a really special feeling,” Raducanu said.

Raducanu is scheduled to play World No. 46 Alison Van Uytvanck on Centre Court on Monday, with her match sandwiched between those of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

“That's a pretty cool line-up just to be included amongst those names is special in itself. I never would have thought that but yeah I'm obviously looking forward to getting out there,” Raducanu said.

She also stated that plans to contest the mixed doubles alongside Andy Murray have been shelved, owing to their tournament build-up being marred by injury troubles.

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Emma Raducanu takes inspiration from Wimbledon's attention to detail

Emma Raducanu at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships

For a Briton like Emma Raducanu, there’s no better tournament than her home Grand Slam. While she made her Wimbledon main draw debut last year as a wildcard, today she is the World No. 11 and the 10th seed at the grasscourt Major.

Raducanu, speaking at the press conference, said that she takes inspiration from how the organisers prepare and run the whole event.

“What strikes me the most is the details, just the attention to detail in every single aspect that this place has. From the flowers to everything, they have like subtle hints of tennis rackets and tennis balls in the carpets. The level that they go to, to make sure that this place is pretty much perfect is pretty outstanding. That attention to detail is it's pretty inspiring in itself. If you can take that, apply it to yourself and have those sort of standards of yourself, I think that's inspiring in itself,” Emma Raducanu said.

Raducanu’s season has been frequently derailed by physical issues. At the Australian Open, she couldn’t play at her best and made a second-round exit due to blisters on her hand. That was followed by early exits at the Indian Wells and Miami Open.

During the clay swing, she reached the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals and the third round of the Madrid Open, before retiring in the first round in Rome. At the French Open, she lost in the second round to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Raducanu’s grass season began at the Nottingham Open, where she retired midway through the opening set against Viktorija Golubic in the first round.

A home Grand Slam with the support of the crowd could be the perfect place for Emma Raducanu to put her woes behind her and kickstart her season.