'I’m gonna need to play very well': Emma Raducanu ready for Wimbledon showdown against ‘super tough’ Marketa Vondrousova

Emma Raducanu has shared what she expects when she faces the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova in the second round of Wimbledon 2025. The 22-year-old secured her spot in the round of 64 of the third Grand Slam of the year after beating fellow countrywoman Mingge Xu in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-3.

Raducanu’s next-round opponent will be the 2023 champion Vondrousova, who cemented her spot in the second round after beating America’s McCartney Kessler in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 7-6. Raducanu spoke to the media after securing her first-round win and was asked about what she expects in the match against Vondrousova. In response to that, Raducanu stated that she knows that Vondrousova will be a ‘super tough’ opponent.

“I remember watching her when I was young make the French Open final,” she said. “She was young there as well. Always seemed way above me and further ahead than me. She had a wrist surgery and came back and won Wimbledon, which is incredible. She’s a really really talented player. We played earlier in the year in Abu Dhabi. I know she’s super tough, but it’s very difficult to maintain that top level after winning a slam. She’s really playing in form right now. She obviously won Berlin. Beat top players on the way to the title. So really difficult match. She’s obviously won Wimbledon. Amazing grass court player and amazing player in general. I think it’s gonna be a really difficult match. I’m gonna need to play very well to get over the line”

This will be the fourth meeting between the two players in professional tennis. In the previous three meetings, Vondrousova had an advantage, emerging victorious on two occasions. Their most recent meeting took place in a WTA event in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, where Vondrousova came out on top in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Interestingly, this will be the second time that both players will play each other at Wimbledon. Their last meeting was in 2021, where Raducanu emerged victorious in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-4.