Emma Raducanu has been eliminated from Wimbledon after a hard-fought loss to qualifier Lulu Sun in the fourth round. The match concluded with Sun, originally from New Zealand, securing victory in three sets with scores of 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 on Centre Court.
Raducanu, the British number three, had a setback early in the deciding set when she required a medical time-out due to a slip on the grass.
The 21-year-old had hoped to reach the quarter-finals of the women’s singles at Wimbledon for the first time.
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Unfortunately, she had already pulled out of her mixed doubles match with Sir Andy Murray on Saturday, citing wrist stiffness, which deprived Murray of another match at his final Wimbledon.
This decision attracted criticism, including from Judy Murray, who initially called it “astonishing” before later clarifying her comment was sarcastic. Raducanu dismissed the criticism, stating, “I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”
Defending her choice, Raducanu explained, “I felt fine initially, but woke up with stiffness. Prioritizing my singles and health was crucial. I believe it was the right call, despite it being tough because I’ve always wanted to play mixed doubles with Andy. I didn’t want to take his last match from him, but I think many players in my position would have made the same decision. When I accepted the invitation, I wasn’t expecting to reach the fourth round, so it seemed obvious to accept.”
Raducanu, ranked 135th globally, was the last remaining British player in the singles draw at the All England Club.
For Lulu Sun, this was her debut on Centre Court. Reflecting on her win, she said, “It was a great match. I had to dig deep and fight hard against Emma because she’s such a fierce competitor. I’m at a loss for words right now.”
Sun, currently ranked 123rd in the world, expressed her excitement about her Centre Court experience, “Walking towards the court, I took it all in. Playing here in front of such an amazing crowd is incredible.”
During the match, Sun made 44 unforced errors compared to Raducanu’s 21, but Sun also hit 52 winners against Raducanu’s 19. Sun broke Raducanu’s serve five times and was dominant at the net, winning 23 of 28 points.
Sun, who has a Croatian father and Chinese mother, will face Croatian Donna Vekic in the quarter-finals.
This Wimbledon marked Raducanu’s first appearance at the tournament in two years. Since her stunning victory at the US Open in 2021 as a qualifier, she has struggled with injuries, undergoing wrist and ankle surgery which sidelined her for much of the previous year.
She withdrew from French Open qualifying in May to concentrate on Wimbledon, making a comeback in June with a semi-final appearance at the Nottingham Open and a quarter-final run in Eastbourne. Her Wimbledon participation this year was granted through a wildcard, as her ranking was insufficient for direct entry.
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