“Come on Britain!” echoed through the sweltering 31C heat on No 1 Court as Emma Raducanu defeated Mimi Xu in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. The all-British clash featured two players, similarly attired in matching outfits and golf visors, who uniquely captivated the home crowd. Raducanu has been a fan favourite since her fairytale 2021 US Open triumph, while the grand slam debutant Xu, ranked world No 300, has impressed in junior circuits and shown significant promise on the senior tour.
However, in their inaugural tour meeting, the gulf in class was evident from the outset. Raducanu’s powerful forehands down the line, blistering serves, and astute court craft allowed her to seize control immediately. Xu’s opening service game began with a double fault, foreshadowing a series of errors that led to Raducanu breaking in the very first game. A stunning ace from the more experienced player left Xu rooted to the spot, followed by a backhand winner that secured the British No 1’s first service game to love, winning eight of the first nine points of the match.
For the 17-year-old Xu, this match was a cascade of firsts. The Welsh player, who watched Raducanu clinch the US Open title as a 13-year-old, understandably struggled early on, exhibiting weak serves and even slipping on court twice in the fourth game. Despite an assured hold to get on the scoreboard, Xu’s attempts at tricky drop shots often backfired, allowing her opponent to establish a 4-2 lead. Raducanu secured another break before a strong service game from Xu that included a scorching 116mph serve. None the less, she was consistently playing catch-up, battling hard to hold her own serve but ultimately failing to break Raducanu, and conceded the first set 6-3.
The second set started as more of the same, with Raducanu asserting her authority. A backhand beyond Xu’s reach and a double fault contributed to the younger Briton facing three break points. Xu saved two, including one with a service winner, and clawing her way to deuce. A well-executed smash at the net even prompted a rare moment of frustration from Raducanu.
However, the fleeting momentum shifted back when Xu netted a drop shot, forced by an 80mph return from Raducanu. Back at deuce, Xu saved a fourth break point with an ace, but Raducanu responded with two formidable forehands – one down the line, one cross-court – both beyond Xu’s reach, finally converting the break for a 2-0 lead.
Raducanu then consolidated with three back-to-back aces in her subsequent service game with pinpoint accuracy. But against the run of play, and down 0-40, Xu remarkably broke back. She forced deuce with a forehand winner, then capitalised on a long lob from Raducanu to snatch the game.
The turning point felt short-lived for a moment, with Raducanu breaking straight back before racing to a 30-0 lead on her serve again only for Xu to capitalise on a weak first serve. Xu’s backhand winner claimed another break point before finishing the game on a high with a forehand high and hard across court, well out of her opponent’s reach.
Yet as much as Xu’s confidence began to grow in the second set, Raducanu never wavered, breaking back once again with a forehand down the line to make it 4-2 and conclude five breaks of serve in a row between the two.
Raducanu, seemingly wanting to wrap things up, holds with a lucky clip of the net but Xu, coming forward with confidence on new balls, managed to hold after a neat, serve-and-volley combination. The British No 1 ultimately managed to fend off the late threats and recovered from 30-0 down in the final game to serve out the match.
