Wimbledon 2025: Xu Debuts, Raducanu Faces Tough Draw

Seventeen-year-old Welsh player Mimi Xu, making her Grand Slam debut and of Chinese heritage, will face British No. 1 Emma Raducanu in the first round at Wimbledon. Xu, who recently impressed on grass courts and earned a wildcard, regards Raducanu as a role model and expresses confidence ahead of their match. Raducanu, ranked 38th and dealing with a back spasm, faces a tough draw with a potential second-round meeting against 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova or 32nd seed McCartney Kessler, and a possible third-round match against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Other young British wildcards, including 16-year-olds Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, also face seeded opponents. The 2025 singles draw features 23 British players, the most since 1984, highlighting a strong home presence amid a challenging set of first-round matches. Wimbledon begins Monday at the All England Club.