Emma Raducanu starts off Wimbledon return with victory on Day 1 of The Championships

Emma Raducanu making her first appearance at Wimbledon since 2022, got off to a winning start beating Mexican Renata Zarazúa in straight sets with fellow Brits Sonay Kartal and Yuriko Miyazaki also victorious.

Raducanu currently ranked at 135 and entering into the tournament as a wildcard, went into the day expecting to play Ekaterina Alexandrova but the 18th seed pulled out just hours before the match meaning lucky loser Renata Zarazúa would be her opponent in her first round match.

It was her opponents first match in the main draw at Wimbledon and despite playing three match in qualifying last week didnt seem to show any signs of nerves or fatigue on Centre Court as despite the straight sets victory she battled away against the Brit forcing a hard fought victory.

It would be Raducanu though who broke first, the Mexican netted twice to bring up two break points before netting a third time, Raducanu would then be broken herself after stretching out for a forehand but hitting wide.

Both avoided being broken in their next two service games forcing the set to a tiebreak, the Brit getting the mini break winning the first point of the set on Zarazùa's serve prior to winning her two service points. A soon to be established 5-0 tiebreak lead then saw Raducanu bring up six set points as Zarazùa nets. Taking the first set point with her serve too much to handle for the Mexican as she hit the return wide.

Winning the first set breathed confidence into the 21 year old, she held serve three times at the start of the second set and just like in the first set broke Zarazùa in her third service game.

Later going on to miss a match point she then stepped up to serve for the match. The Mexican netted twice, a theme to her match before Raducanu won an amazing 13 shot rally topped off by a sprint to the net and dink to send Centre Court into raptures and bring up three match points. Zarazùa running up to the net to reach a drop shot hit long to give Raducanu the victory.

Three other British women were in action, Sonay Kartal won her match against 29th seed Romanian Sorana Cîrstea 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 and Yuriko Miyazaki won hers against German Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-1. The other Heather Watson lost in straight sets to Belgian Greet Minnen 5-7, 4-6.

All three man in action lost, most notably Arthur Fery in five sets against German Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6⁶-7⁸, 6-1, 3-6, 1-6. Charlie Broom lost to three time grand slam champion Swiss Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 5-7, 4-6 and Liam Broady who lost 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6 to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.