In a captivating all-British showdown that beautifully bridged generations, Emma Raducanu began her Wimbledon campaign in style, defeating teenage wildcard Mimi Xu in straight sets. The 22-year-old former US Open champion delivered a composed 6-3, 6-3 victory on Court No. 1, wrapping up the contest in one hour and 25 minutes.
This “Battle of the Brits” carried a special storyline beyond the scoreline. Seventeen-year-old Xu, making her senior Grand Slam main-draw debut, has long admired Raducanu, even calling her a “really good role model.” Their connection dates back to 2021 when Raducanu, fresh from her stunning US Open triumph, invited a then-14-year-old Xu to practice with her for 45 minutes at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre. That small gesture left a big mark on the rising star — one coach described it as “something Mimi will never forget.” The two, who share Chinese heritage, are even known to chat in Mandarin from time to time.
When they met again under the bright lights of Wimbledon, the smiles gave way to fierce focus. It was the first time two British women had faced off in the opening round of Wimbledon since 2011, and the atmosphere was both tense and heartwarming as the crowd cheered for both players. Raducanu, now the British No. 1 and ranked world No. 40, wasted no time setting the tone. She broke Xu in the very first game, firing clean, penetrating shots and committing just four unforced errors to take the first set 6-3.
Xu, ranked outside the top 300 but full of promise, responded bravely in the second set. Having earned her wildcard after defeating two top-100 players in recent grass-court tournaments, she began to find her rhythm and play more aggressively. The set turned into a back-and-forth battle, with five consecutive service breaks at one stage. From 40-0 up, Raducanu suddenly lost her serve as Xu levelled at 2-2, sparking roars of encouragement from fans urging both Brits on. However, the seasoned Raducanu steadied herself, breaking once more and holding serve at 4-2 to regain control. She went on to seal the win with authority, finishing with 25 winners to 12 unforced errors.
Speaking after the match, Raducanu admitted it wasn’t an easy matchup emotionally. “It’s really awkward playing a Brit, especially someone younger,” she said. “But I think the crowd were great both ways. It was nice for her to receive that kind of support too.” She also praised Xu’s impressive rise. “She’s a great player with big weapons. Congrats to her for earning that wildcard — I’m sure she’s going to do great things in the future.”
The victory extended Raducanu’s strong Grand Slam record, now 11-2 in first-round matches, and earned her a second-round clash with defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova — a daunting but thrilling challenge. “She’s an amazing grass-court player,” Raducanu said. “She won Berlin and obviously Wimbledon. I’ll need to play very well to get over the line.”
For Raducanu, the win was another sign of stability and growing confidence as she continues her climb back toward the top of the women’s game. But beyond the result, her meeting with Mimi Xu felt like a symbolic moment — a passing of inspiration from one generation of British tennis to the next.
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