Round one was winning ugly and round two was just fun, according to Emma Raducanu as she returned to the court of her Wimbledon debut demise.
Raducanu had scrapped to pull off a day-one win, likening it to England's less-than-eye-catching victory over Slovakia at the Euros.
On Wednesday, against Elise Mertens, she was aggressive and in full flow from the outset as she dropped just three games to set up a third-round encounter against No9 seed Maria Sakkari.
It was in stark contrast to her last time on Court No1 in 2021 when she suffered breathing difficulties and had to pull out mid-match against Ajla Tomljanovic, having burst onto the tennis scene and into the fourth round at what was then her maiden Wimbledon. "I didn't even think of that," she said when reminded afterwards of her on-court troubles.
"When I think of Court One, I just think of that amazing win against Sorana [Cirstea, in the third round in 2021]. That was my first kind of coming out into tennis society if you would like to call it.
"I just have such amazing memories from that court, that match in particular. It was the first time playing on a court that size — the crowd, the environment, the feeling of adjusting at the start, to just playing on a court that big. I only have good memories from that court."
Raducanu had talked at Eastbourne at the start of last week about having recaptured the fun factor with her tennis, which was reflected in yesterday's measured performance as her opponent, a former grand slam semi-finalist who has twice made the last 16 here, struggled for any sort of rhythm.
"I enjoyed it, I had a lot of fun," she said. "I think that when my character shows through my tennis is when I play my best."
It was one of her more assured displays since the US Open title win in 2021, a subsequent three years littered with injuries, disappointments and eventually surgery last year.
Assessing her display, she said: "I played very well but I don't think it was my best match since the US Open. I think I've played a few matches that I was personally probably happier with."
