𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Emma Raducanu topped off another strong day for Britain’s stars at Wimbledon by defeating former champion Marketa Vondrousova to reach the third round.

Raducanu was left grinning from ear to ear after a clinical 6-3 6-3 win that sets up a blockbuster third-round clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

“I think that was one of the best matches I’ve played in a long time,” said the British number one. “At the same time, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything outrageous, which gives me a lot of confidence.”

Raducanu was joined in the last 32 by Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie, who were both just as happy with their performances.

Kartal followed up her upset of 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko by racing to a 6-2 6-2 win over Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova, and appears to have a good chance of making the fourth round of a slam for the first time with qualifier Diane Parry up next.

“That match today was a very clean match from me,” said Kartal. “I don’t think I did much wrong at all. I was seeing it really well. I felt confident. I feel like I was playing really aggressive tennis. Did exactly what me and the coach wanted to go out and do.”

Norrie is through to the third round of a slam for the 14th time after upsetting 12th seed Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5.

The former British number one came close to dropping out of the top 100 earlier this season but mounted a revival on clay and is looking full of confidence here.

He is enjoying being the underdog, saying: “When I was in the top 10 and the top 20, everything was very automatic. I was not thinking. Just very professional. On to the next thing, on to the next thing.

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“I think it’s a good thing to go through being injured, not winning, then having resilience to back yourself. I’m enjoying my tennis more than ever. It was really nice coming up to get into the top 10 but it’s just tough, really tough, to stay there.

“On the flip side of that, I was coming into the match today against Frances being the underdog, playing for free.”

The major disappointment of the day from a home perspective was Katie Boulter’s 6-7 (7) 6-2 6-1 defeat against Argentinian lucky loser Solana Sierra.

Boulter played superbly to beat ninth seed Paula Badosa on Monday but fell away alarmingly on Court One, serving 14 double faults and making 36 unforced errors compared to just eight winners.

She has never progressed beyond the third round at any of tennis’ four major tournaments and for the second Wimbledon in a row failed to even make it that far.

“Of course it hurts, it’s a really tough pill to swallow – it always is here,” said Boulter, who may yet end the tournament back at British number one.

“Unfortunately it’s just the way that it is. Sometimes I just have to accept that my moment might not come. I’m just going to keep working hard and keep trying my hardest.”

Qualifier Oliver Tarvet’s dream run is also over, but not before the 21-year-old made himself the darling of Centre Court with a terrifically spirited display in a 6-1 6-4 6-4 loss to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Billy Harris fell 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7) to Portugal’s Nuno Borges while Arthur Fery will have to come back on Thursday to try to mount a comeback against Luciano Darderi after play was suspended for darkness with the Italian leading 6-4 6-3.