Teenage tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has won through to the final 16 at the Wimbledon Championships after a straight sets victory in the third round.
The 18-year-old’s fairytale debut tournament continued with a stunning triumph over world number 45 Sorana Cirstea on Court One that ended 6-3 7-5.
It was also history-making, with Raducanu becoming the youngest British woman into the fourth round of SW19 in the open era.
The breakthrough Wimbledon star, who is waiting for her A-Level results, has quickly become the story of the Championships, previously beating qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko and former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova to reach the third round without dropping a set.
Raducanu’s latest winning performance caught the eye of singer Liam Gallagher, who tweeted: “Emma Raducanu BIBLICAL.”
Speaking in her post-match on-court interview, she said: “Honestly, I am so speechless right now, at the end I didn’t know what my reaction would be if I won and that just happened, I am so so grateful for all the support I had today.
“Who would have thought, it is funny because at the start when I was packing to come into the bubble, my parents were like, ‘Aren’t you packing too many sets of match kit?’.
“I think I am going to have to do some laundry tonight, but I think they have a laundry service at the hotel, so I am all good.”
Emma Raducanu BIBLICAL
Raducanu has been known as a serious talent within the British game for many years, but making the leap from juniors to seniors can be notoriously difficult.
Prior to Wimbledon, she had only played one Women’s Tennis Association Tour level match.
However, the Kent teenager, who was a quarter-finalist in the junior event three years ago, has made the transition look seamless so far.
Her trainer, Nigel Sears, who as well as being Andy Murray’s father-in-law is one of the most experienced coaches on the women’s tour, said: “Quite frankly, I think the sky’s the limit.”
Raducanu stayed in school to complete A levels in maths and economics, only finishing a couple of months ago, with competitive tennis taking a back seat during the coronavirus pandemic.