Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of Day Six at Wimbledon 2021. First up, we are focusing on British teenager Emma Raducanu. The 18-year-old wildcard has only recently completed her A-levels but has grabbed headlines this week after downing former French Open runner-up, the Czech world number 41 Marketa Vondrousova to make round three. She meets Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, who has also made a few waves by defeating two-time major winner, Victoria Azarenka. The players are due out on Court One imminently.
S. Cirstea vs E. Raducanu | Wimbledon
Women's Singles | Round 3 | 03.07.2021 | Court 1
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S. Cirstea
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E. Raducanu
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Updated 03/07/2021 at 14:50 GMT+1
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- Highlights
GAME, SET AND MATCH! – RADUCANU 6-3 7-5 CIRSTEA. Sensational! The 18-year-old wildcard downs the world number 45 in straight sets in one hour and 39 minutes. She gets it done on her third match point after another mesmerising game between the two. The headlines belong to Emma and she thoroughly deserves it; what shot-making! She will now meet Ajla Tomljanovic in the last 16.
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Image credit: Getty Images
RADUCANU 6-3 6-5 CIRSTEA. Clench that fist and soak up the positive energy from the crowd. Emma keeps her nerves under wraps from 30-30 to edge out another close game. She’s guaranteed a shot at the tie break now – but can she nick it right at the death? Cirstea serving to stay in it once more.
RADUCANU 6-3 5-5 CIRSTEA. Sorana is calling upon all of her experience and know-how here. She conjures up a serve plus one when things start to get tricky at 30-15 and manages to see out a much more routine hold in the end. Raducanu did have her chances but after some majestic defence she couldn’t quite find the passing shots this time around.
RADUCANU 6-3 5-4 CIRSTEA. That’ll do the job. It’s far from the free-flowing, carefree tennis that saw her get into such a tantalising position, but it’s solid enough to see her dig out a hold to 30 as Cirstea blasts a forehand way long. Whisper it quietly, but Raducanu is a game from the fourth round.
RADUCANU 6-3 4-4 CIRSTEA. That is pure resilience from Cirstea. She refuses to let Raducanu seize control again. The Romanian saves FIVE break points in a testing 15-minute service game where Raducanu again steals the spotlight with some bewitching passing winners on the run. It isn’t to be for the Brit though as the world number 45 eventually drags herself level.
RADUCANU 6-3 4-3 CIRSTEA. Emma manages to reset and get herself back in front on the board at a key point in the set. A fourth double fault at 40-15 shows her nerves but she takes some heat off her next serve and corks a couple of big forehands to breach Cirstea’s defence and claim an important hold.
RADUCANU 6-3 3-3 CIRSTEA. All square. Sorana threatens a mini collapse at 40-0 up but dusts herself down following a double fault to edge out the game and back up the break. She currently has the momentum. What can Emma do to turn it back in her favour?
RADUCANU 6-3 3-2 CIRSTEA. Murmurs of concern flitter through the Court One air. Suddenly Raducanu loses her flawless run of hitting and Cirstea cranks up the heat. The 18-year-old wobbles and the Romanian snares another game back. The match is very much on again now!
RADUCANU 6-3 3-1 CIRSTEA. Credit to Cirstea. She could easily fall apart here but finally stops the rot. Everything Raducanu hits appears to fly in and two incredible winners on the run and then on the stretch clock up triple break point. Cirstea finds clutch mode on her serve and a wonderful drop shot to save all three before finally getting on the board. It’s a long way back, but she may have planted a tiny seed of doubt in the teenager’s mind now. We’ll see.
RADUCANU 6-3 3-0 CIRSTEA. It just keeps getting better! Cirstea looks beaten and her game-plan is in tatters. She offers little resistance as the British underdog cruises to a love hold. Sorana needs to try something different or another third round Wimbledon exit looks on the cards.
She's having a blast on Court One at present as well!
BREAK! – RADUCANU 6-3 2-0 CIRSTEA. The world number 45 has no answer out there right now. Emma’s return game is A-list stuff. She corks another winner down the line to break again and clock up a SEVENTH game in a row. What a performance!
RADUCANU 6-3 1-0 CIRSTEA. The hot streak continues to open Set 2 with a real statement of intent. Not even a double fault can halt her charge as she eases through another impressive service game.
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Image credit: Getty Images
SET! – RADUCANU 6-3 CIRSTEA. What an opener! Raducanu punches the air and grins towards the crowd. She breaks again, following up a crunching return to tee up two set points with a brilliantly improvised lob. It’s fairytale stuff – but can she keep it going to continue this incredible ride further?
RADUCANU 5-3 CIRSTEA. It’s four games in a row as Raducanu keeps Cirstea guessing with some brilliant variety on her serve. She backs up another break with a hold to 15 and is one game away from taking the opening set.
BREAK! – RADUCANU 4-3 CIRSTEA. Drama! Cirstea has a debate with the umpire on break point on a serve called out. It was a late shout and the Romanian is unhappy. She challenges but the second serve is way out. It’s another break for Emma and she’s ahead on the board! The Brit’s backhand is a sight to behold at the moment.