Emma Raducanu once again assumed the mantle of an underdog ahead of her third-round match at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships against Maria Sakkari, hoping to stay one extra day.
The Brit played Sakkari once before, during that iconic US Open run in 2021. They faced each other in the semi-finals, and Raducanu won comfortably to book the final, which she would win over Leylah Fernandez.
It was a very interesting match, but Raducanu admitted ahead of the rematch at SW19 that she expects a different match this time around. A lot has changed since then because she was quite unknown at the time, which isn’t the case now.
Sakkari is also one of the best players on the WTA Tour, firmly ranked in the Top 10, so it’s going to be tough for the home hero, and there won’t be any surprises for her opponent this time around.
“It was in the semis of the US Open. I think you know the circumstances are different, a 3rd round compared to a semi-final. The dynamics were also different. I was an unknown player pretty much so I’m expecting a really tough match. She’s top, in the Top 10 so it’s going to be a difficult one.”
Much like against Ekaterina Alexandrova, Raducanu firmly declared herself an underdog, which shouldn’t be a huge surprise. Sakkari is the higher-ranked player, but on grass, Raducanu won’t be without chances, especially since Sakkari’s record this year hasn’t been that special.
“I’m the complete underdog again. I can just enjoy playing at my home slam. Just keep having fun and trying to stay an extra day.”
The match could go either way, but because of the home factor and the fact that the match will be played on grass, Raducanu will certainly have her chances, Sakkari likely would have benefited more from any other surface.
