Sakkari* 4-2 Raducanu
Raducanu had a big ace down the centre. So far in this tournament, her serve has been one of her most amazing game features.
Raducanu forehands long but maintains control of the game at 30–15. However, she double faults off a net cord and finds herself under pressure on the serve.
Sakkari wins a back-of-the-court exchange, and Raducanu is now in position to break. However, she SAVES the break with a stunning running forehand down the line.
Raducanu then switches from defence to attack, rising high with a defensive lob and then diving into a forehand.
Sakkari nets, and Raducanu makes a superb hold.
6:15 p.m.
Sakkari commits a double fault to begin the game. She’s under a little bit of pressure here. Since Raducanu has shown quite stable thus far, she probably intends to take an easy hold.
Still, that won’t be of much assistance. Sakkari attempts a risky backhand drop shot but misses, and Raducanu then creates three break points with a superb return.
Raducanu takes a long forehand, but Sakkari saves both of his shots. With the point at her mercy, Raducanu nets a smash, and Sakkari escapes prison once more.
Sakkari is in possession. That is excellent from 0 to 40 down.
Sakkari* 3-1 Raducanu
Although Sakkari’s ball-striking when she’s in the zone is visually stunning, Raducanu plays solid defence. She hits a huge forehand winner that finds the line, but Raducanu answers with an incredible one-two stroke following a solid serve.
British hold to fifteen easily.
6:06 p.m.
During Emma Raducanu’s warm-up and opening game against Greek Maria Sakkari, the Centre Court was only around half full. But there’s a buzz in the spectators because of the star power of the 2021 US Open winner.
The fans can’t be blamed for their excitement following Carlos Alcaraz’s exciting five-set victory over American Francis Tiafoe, but the seats won’t remain empty for long.
Thoughts, however, immediately turned to the British player in the following game, when Tiafoe received a standing ovation for his persistent effort and frequent Royal Box visitor Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared to be practically hanging off the balcony with excitement. It was impossible not to be reminded of Evita’s rendition of one of Lloyd Webber’s most well-known pieces, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.
6:05 p.m.
Whoa. Raducanu doesn’t mess about there as she rises into a return following Sakkari’s timid serve. Raducanu is off to a great start and hopes to replicate the kind of performance that held her up well against Elise Mertnes in the previous round.
Sakkari’s Greta answer, however, wins and she goes on to control her service game with an Ace.
She grasps.
6:02 PM Sakkari 2-0 Raducanu*
Sakkari has Raducanu on the run, but the British player does a great job setting up a racquet on two balls that her opponent should have had no trouble putting away. With a smashing forehand crosscourt, Sakkari ends up at 0-30, giving Raducanu absolutely no chance.
There is a little strain on Raducanu right now. Is she able to answer? Yes, she gains early control of the point with a deep second serve, and Sakkari is forced to hit long after receiving a deep forehand.
Sakkari is doing well once more, though, and she now has the opportunity to bounce back quickly. Raducanu uses a huge ace to save both the first and the second.
Raducanu holds after two swift points. This is a good start for her.
5:55 p.m.
Sakkari is off to a strong start in these initial moments. Her serve is among the largest on the WTA circuit, so Raducanu will need to at least somewhat neutralise it.
Sakkari is forced to net with a backhand after a strong return, but the Greek player swiftly atones for his mistake by whipping a backhand winner crosscourt to give the British player his first points.
Sakkari then wastes a game point trying to maintain serve by playing long with her forehand, but she rejects the opportunity and continues to go long following a brief exchange from the back of the court.
In the opening game of the match, Raducanu unexpectedly has a break point when Sakkari makes a deuce…DOUBLE FAULT. Sakkari then continues on, giving Raducanu a crucial early lead.
5:49 P.M.
First to serve will be Sakkari.
5:49 P.M.
We’re almost done with the warm-ups. Raducanu is playing a seeded player at Wimbledon for the first time.
5:43 p.m.
The expectation is nearly palpable. A few seats are still available, but they will fill up fast. After that nearly four-hour-long Alcaraz victory, you can understand why folks might desire a vacation.
5:42 p.m.
Emma Raducanu and Maria Sakkari are about to enter Centre Court.to quicken at a look
Raducanu wins the opening set.Fantastic opening for the British on Centre CourtRaducanu cracksdefeats Sakkari serve in the opening game of the contestAlcaraz triumphs.eliminates Tiafoe following a five-set classicRewind to 2021When these two last (and only) crossed paths…Raducanu’s return to the centreMaria Sakkari, her opponent in round three
7:01 p.m.
Sakkari wins a protracted baseline exchange and does well to grab the opening two points of the match.
Raducanu intercepts a second serve and smacks it crosscourt, so no luck there. For Raducanu right now, those second serves from Sakkari are easy pickings.
Two points later, Sakkari’s big ace gives and she holds with a gritty approach.
6:58 p.m.
There is an ancient saying that says politics and sport don’t mix. But even here on Centre Court, given the time of day, one gets the feeling that something is changing.
Politics have a significant role in Sakkari’s team. As the son of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, her lover Konstantinos Mitsotakis appears to be in Sakkari’s player’s box.
6:57 PM Sakkari* 6-2, Raducanu 3-1
Undoubtedly, Raducanu is playing here, but Sakkari is also giving her a lot of easy points. 0-30 following two shoddy forehands from the Greek, but that’s better since she uses a mid-court forehand to exert her maximum might.
We then return to 30-30 after Raducanu double faults; this feels like a significant moment. Raducanu has an opportunity to seal the point, but he attempts an odd backhand slice at the net that misses.
Sakkari has a break point, but Raducanu stops it with a brilliant one-two behind a forceful first serve. As Raducanu continues, Sakkari fabricates another thought—there’s so much tension right now.
RADUCANU’S ACE! She then delivers another superb wide serve to Sakkari’s forehand. Sakkari’s next serve is equally impressive, but she gets lucky of her own when a framed return takes the top of the net and dribbles over.
Back to deuce, but Raducanu’s serve is accurate, causing Sakkari to make a mistake. You sense that this is her chance, and she seizes it.
RADUCANU HOLD WAS AMAZING.
6:48 p.m.
Raducanu’s massive comeback gives Sakkari absolutely no chance. She then responds to the Greek’s feeble second serve with another stunning return.
Once more, Raducanu has the door ajar. After Raducanu misses a return, Sakari takes the lead early in the game. However, Sakkari then makes a simple backhand in the middle of the court, giving Raducanu two break points.
As Sakkari continues, RADUCANU BREAK!
6:44 p.m.
Sakkari made a fantastic comeback to reach 15–30. She just raised her game at touch to begin this second set, but after a Raducanu second serve, she gives up a cheap point by pushing for too much on a return.
30-30…Raducanu has a chance to win this service game and Sakkari nets cheaply. which she carries out! That game had a hint of anxiety, but she handled it brilliantly.
6.41 p.m.
Sonay Kartal’s bright career at Wimbledon ended when Coco Gauff defeated the British qualifier.
Kartal lost 6-4, 6-0 to the American heavyweight in the biggest match of her career on the second-largest showcourt at Wimbledon, but she had incredible moments that belied her 298th-ranked world standing.
The 22-year-old overcame early nerves and an early break of serve in an action-packed opening set to square off against the US Open winner.
Kartal may not be as tall as most of her tour colleagues at five feet two, but she more than makes up for it with her other attributes. She is a strong and astute ball hitter, and she persistently pushed the No. 2 seed across the baseline for extended stretches of the game.
“She performed at a very high level, particularly in the opening set,” exclaimed Gauff, who jumped out to an early lead in a lopsided second set, by which time Kartal had run out of energy and was bagelled.She has had a terrific time in the competition, especially at home, and I hope she returns for more in the future.
6.39 p.m.
Sakkari double faults once more; based on my calculations, that is her fifth of the match. Nevertheless, she bounces back quickly, causing Raducanu to miss with her back hand before finishing with a clean victory down the line.
She then demonstrates some touch at the net, executing a brilliant backhand volley after a solid approach.
Well done, Greek.
6.35 p.m.
Sakkari’s big triumph serves as a warning about the threat she represents from beyond the court. When varying her play rather than participating in drawn-out conversations from the back of the court, Raducanu has found greater success.
Raducanu continues to play excellent defence, but this time a frantic lob is unbelievably long. However, she quickly finds herself in a fortunate situation when a net cable grants her a cheap point.
After a badly timed double fault, Sakkari’s break point vanishes following a superb opening serve from the British player.
Raducanu looks at a first set point after Sakkari nets an easy forehand return.WHICH SHE ACCEPTS!
6:27 p.m.
Sakkari’s big serve game begins with a double fault before she nets a straightforward forehand in the middle of the court. Raducanu has a chance, but Sakkari did a great job, kicking the serve wide to Raducanu’s backhand and then making an easy forehand.
But after yet another double failure, Raducanu reaches her breaking point, which she crosses with an excellent leap.
Raducanu played amazing defence, anticipating Sakkari’s dry volley and finding a beautiful backhand lob.
Using fresh balls, she will serve for the set.
Among those intangible traits is charisma. Emma Raducanu has incredible on-court appeal when it comes to winning over supporters, even yet she still comes across in interviews as the young woman that she is. Sakkari finds it unsettling that every time she wins a point, she casts quick but powerful glances towards the crowd from beneath her visor.
Raducanu, ranked No. 135 in the world, controls this sophisticated audience as though she were among the top 10 in the world right now. When facing Sakkari, the world No. 9 player, she is unfazed and makes the 28-year-old commit mistakes at the net.
6:22 PM Sakkari* vs. Raducanu 4-2
Raducanu had a big ace down the centre. So far in this tournament, her serve has been one of her most amazing game features.
Raducanu forehands long but maintains control of the game at 30–15. However, she double faults off a net cord and finds herself under pressure on the serve.
Sakkari wins a back-of-the-court exchange, and Raducanu is now in position to break. However, she SAVES the break with a stunning running forehand down the line.
Raducanu then switches from defence to attack, rising high with a defensive lob and then diving into a forehand.
Sakkari nets, and Raducanu makes a superb hold.
6:15 p.m.
Sakkari commits a double fault to begin the game. She’s under a little bit of pressure here. Since Raducanu has shown quite stable thus far, she probably intends to take an easy hold.
Still, that won’t be of much assistance. Sakkari attempts a risky backhand drop shot but misses, and Raducanu then creates three break points with a superb return.
Raducanu takes a long forehand, but Sakkari saves both of his shots. With the point at her mercy, Raducanu nets a smash, and Sakkari escapes prison once more.
Sakkari is in possession. That is excellent from 0 to 40 down.
Sakkari* 3-1 Raducanu
Although Sakkari’s ball-striking when she’s in the zone is visually stunning, Raducanu plays solid defence. She hits a huge forehand winner that finds the line, but Raducanu answers with an incredible one-two stroke following a solid serve.
British hold to fifteen easily.
6:06 p.m.
During Emma Raducanu’s warm-up and opening game against Greek Maria Sakkari, the Centre Court was only around half full. But there’s a buzz in the spectators because of the star power of the 2021 US Open winner.
The fans can’t be blamed for their excitement following Carlos Alcaraz’s exciting five-set victory over American Francis Tiafoe, but the seats won’t remain empty for long.
Thoughts, however, immediately turned to the British player in the following game, when Tiafoe received a standing ovation for his persistent effort and frequent Royal Box visitor Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared to be practically hanging off the balcony with excitement. It was impossible not to be reminded of Evita’s rendition of one of Lloyd Webber’s most well-known pieces, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.
6:05 p.m.
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