Raducanu Stuns Vondrousova to Reach Wimbledon Third Round

Raducanu Stuns Vondrousova to Reach Wimbledon Third Round, Sets Up Clash with Sabalenka

Emma Raducanu delivered one of her finest performances in recent memory to defeat 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3 and reach the third round at the 2025 Championships.

The 22-year-old British number one showed poise, aggression, and clarity on Centre Court, completing her statement win in just 82 minutes amid raucous home support. The victory sets up a blockbuster encounter with world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.

“I think today I played really, really well. There were some points that I have no idea how I turned around,” Raducanu said during her on-court interview.

“Marketa has won this tournament, which is a huge achievement, so I’m really pleased with how I played my game the whole way through.”

Clinical Raducanu Capitalizes on Open Women’s Draw

Raducanu became the third Briton to reach the third round on Wednesday, joining Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie. Her victory comes on a day of upsets, with 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini becoming the fourth top-five seed to exit the tournament.

Only Sabalenka remains from the top five seeds, making Raducanu’s run all the more exciting for British fans.

On facing the Belarusian next, Raducanu said:

“She’s number one in the world, so dominant and has won everything. I’ll just try to control what I can and enjoy the challenge — there’s no pressure on me.”

Raducanu Finds Her Flow Again

After a difficult return from injury in 2024 that saw her ranked outside the top 300, Raducanu has gradually regained form, now back inside the world’s top 40.

With the support of coach Mark Petchey, technical improvements to her serve and forehand, and a focus on a more aggressive approach have paid dividends — all of which were on display in her dominant win over Vondrousova.

Despite losing their previous two meetings, Raducanu controlled the match from start to finish. After breaking for 5-3 in the first set, she never looked back, holding serve with authority and finishing the match with a decisive final break.

Next Up: A Huge Test

Raducanu’s reward is a mouth-watering third-round tie against top seed Aryna Sabalenka, in what will be one of the marquee matches of the tournament so far.

With Sabalenka the only top-five seed remaining in the draw, an upset could shift the landscape of the women’s singles entirely — and Raducanu appears ready to embrace the challenge.