Emma Raducanu will be hoping to pick up her second Top 10 win of the season on Friday with Maria Sakkari waiting in round three for her at Wimbledon. It’s the second match on Centre Court, where the crowd will be hoping to see what would feel like a surprise win – even though the bookmakers have the Brit as a small favourite against the ninth seed.
Prior to the grass swing, Raducanu had struggled for form following yet another injury break. A Nottingham semi final and Eastbourne quarter final put her in a good frame of mind for Wimbledon and it has shown with her run to the third round. She made very light work of Elise Mertens in round two, dropping just three games against an opponent that was always a tough out at slams in the past.
Sakkari has been a long term presence in the Top 10 but has never really been seen as a contender for any of the slams. She has made just one fourth round since the start of 2022 and had lost in the opening round of four of the last five slams prior to this. A kind draw here ensured there was no chance of a repeat with Mccartney Kessler and Arantxa Rus proving no threat on grass.
While Raducanu’s ability is not in question, there will always be doubts with her fitness and mentality following her shock US Open title at such a young age. Questions over the latter also concern Sakkari, who will find it difficult against an opponent backed by a vocal and partisan crowd. It’s not a terrible matchup for Sakkari who has the counterpunching ability to take advantage although with rain forecast for some of Friday, the tide may turn back in Raducanu’s favour.
Prediction – Emma Raducanu in three sets
