Wimbledon: British teenager Emma Raducanu storms into 4th round, Angelique Kerber survives scare

British teenager Emma Raducanu is making waves at Wimbledon 2021. The 18-year-old became the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round at The Championships. The wildcard entrant stunned World No. 45 Sorana Cirstea in straight sets — 6-3, 7-5 in the women’s singles third-round match on Saturday.

The Wimbledon debutante was joined in the next round by 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, who eased past Slovenian Kaja Juvan 6-3 6-3.

Recalling an interesting conversation with her parents before she went into the bio-bubble, Rudacanu said: “When I was packing to come into the bubble, my parents said: ‘Aren’t you packing too much match kit?’ I think I’m going to have to do some laundry tonight.”

Two months ago, World No. 338 Raducanu was sitting school exams and until a month ago she had not even contested a match on the main WTA Tour. In a whirlwind few days, Raducanu has dumped out Vitalia Diatchenko, 2019 French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova and 45th-ranked Romanian Cirstea.

Former champion Kerber into 4th round

Meanwhile, Former champion Angelique Kerber was put through the wringer early in her third-round clash with unseeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Saturday but the German rallied from a set down to win 2-6 6-0 6-1 after a rain delay.

Kerber faced a tough test against Sara Sorribes Tormo in the previous round before overcoming the Spaniard in the longest women’s match at Wimbledon since 2011 and made a sluggish start on Saturday by twice dropping serve in the opening set to give Sasnovich a 4-0 lead.

World number 100 Sasnovich, taking on a second former All England champion this week after watching Serena Williams limp off injured in their opener, wrapped up the first set in style after rain temporarily halted the action on Court Two.

Kerber had warmed up for Wimbledon with her first title in three years at the inaugural Bad Homburg tournament last week and the 33-year-old showed why she cannot be written off on grass with a blistering response in the second set.

The 2018 champion shot out of the blocks, playing inspired tennis to hand her 27-year-old opponent a bagel and level the contest at one set apiece.

A wayward forehand by Sasnovich gifted Kerber the advantage at 3-1 in the decider and the only remaining Wimbledon champion in the women’s singles draw further tightened her grip on the match before finishing with an ace to reach the last 16, (With Reuters inputs).