A year ago, Emma Raducanu was a wide-eyed teenager star struck by the game’s biggest stars.
One of her notable highlights from Wimbledon 12 months ago was a simple hello from the then-world No1 Novak Djokovic.
Back then, Raducanu was an unknown, fresh from having taken her A-levels and unable to play many tournaments in tennis’ lower tier because of the ongoing impact of Covid.
This time, the 19-year-old should not be short of greetings from Djokovic or the rest of the world’s leading players for that matter. But inside she said felt no less enamoured by the enormity of the occasion nor the star status of those around her this time.
“Just to be watching Rafa [Nadal] and Novak at such close range, to be able to sort of take part and try to learn from them, walk among these great players, it’s still special,” she said.
“I don’t think it really ever changes when you’re watching those greats. It’s amazing to have them around leading such a great example. It’s only my second Wimbledon and I’m really new to this still. It’s a really special feeling.”
The one major change from a year ago is that the British No1 is no longer an unknown thanks to her run to the fourth round on her Grand Slam debut and then her unlikely US Open triumph a few weeks later. And she readily admitted people know her game inside out now, and that “everyone wants to beat me”.
She said she will endeavour to apply the same aggression shown at Wimbledon and subsequently in New York again on the grass this year.
Her opening-round match is an awkward one against Alison Van Uvytvanck, already a tournament winner on grass this summer and with a game that could see Raducanu out before the end of this opening day.
The big question mark for the teenager is the side strain she suffered at the Nottingham Open. She gave herself a clean bill of health during her pre-tournament press conference over the course of the weekend, and yet doubts still remain how she fares physically with her body having repeatedly let her down to date this season.
On her debut, she proved to be the darling of No1 Court where her run ended against Ajla Tomljanovic in the fourth round after suffering breathing difficulties. Today marks her Centre Court debut sandwiched between Djokovic and latterly Andy Murray going out on the same court.
“Just to be included among those names is special in itself,” she said. “I never would have thought that. I’m obviously looking forward to getting out there. I definitely feel like people are behind me.
“Last year, I came straight out of exams, I was fresh, ready to play. I feel the same excitement this year because I think Wimbledon just brings that out of me especially.
“I’m just going to play like a kid who just loves playing tennis. It’s always my dream to step out on Centre Court. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do and started playing tennis for.”
The reality is her Wimbledon could come to an early and abrupt end on the basis of her recent run of results in what has been a challenging first full year on the WTA Tour.
Immaterial, she is confident she is a better player than the one that graced Wimbledon for the first time a year ago.
“I think that, as a tennis player, I have actually grown and developed and have skills that I maybe didn’t have last year,” she said. “If players are raising their game against me, I have to raise my level too. There’s nothing negative about that.
“Over time, I will be a better tennis player. I’m 19 years old. If I hadn’t won the US Open, I think the past year or the way that I’ve been sort of heading it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
“I think I still have hopefully 15 years or something more in my career to go. I’m just at the beginning of it. I’m looking forward to the long-term journey.”
