Emma Raducanu to face lucky loser in Wimbledon first round after ...

ByEurosport

Updated 01/07/2024 at 10:26 GMT

Emma Raducanu’s first-round Wimbledon opponent Ekaterina Alexandrova has withdrawn due to illness and has been replaced by lucky loser Renata Zarazua.

World No. 22 Alexandrova had been due to face Britain's Raducanu on Monday afternoon on Centre Court but has pulled out of the Grand Slam.

Her replacement is Mexico’s Zarazua, who won two matches in qualifying before losing in the final round.

World No. 98 Zarazua has spent much of her recent career playing at WTA 125k events, with Raducanu now the clear favourite to reach the second round.

Raducanu has appeared to be in much-improved form after electing to miss the French Open and focus on her long-term fitness, having struggled with her form and injury problems since her 2021 US Open triumph.

The 21-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open and the quarter-finals at the Eastbourne International as she prepared for SW19.

After several years of searching for her top form, Raducanu is keen to make the most of a potentially massive summer of sport in Britain.

“I would love to be a part of it,” she said. “It's just an amazing summer of sport.

"It's football, it's F1, it's tennis, the races. I've been saying that every day on site right now at Wimbledon is a blessing.

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“I feel a lot more comfortable this year. There's a lot less going on. There's a lot less stress or chaos. 

“I'm more just coming here, doing my practice, playing the match. Like there's not there's not much else to it, whereas in 2022 I was in a big rush.”

Raducanu is second on Centre Court after defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz opens play against Mark Lajal.---

Stream daily highlights from Wimbledon at 10pm UK time, as well as the two singles finals live on July 13 and 14, on discovery+