Sunday, June 29

Sports Mole previews Monday’s Wimbledon first-round match between Emma Raducanu and Mingge Xu, including predictions, form and their head-to-head record.

Emma Raducanu and rising teenager Mingge Xu clash in Monday's all-British Wimbledon first-round encounter.    

The former Grand Slam champion has never lost at this stage at the Championships and aims to avoid a shock defeat against her 17-year-old opponent, participating at the event for the first time.

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Match preview

Raducanu returns to the Championships a year after reaching the fourth round 12 months ago on her comeback to SW19.

Having missed the 2023 tournament, the 22-year-old was back in her home event, and thrived by beating Renata Zarazua, Elise Mertens and Maria Sakkari en route to emulating her 2021 Wimbledon performance.

Although she exited at the hands of qualifier Lulu Sun in the last 16, Raducanu, who enters this year with a 7-3 record overall at SW19, aims to avoid a tournament-opening loss for the fourth consecutive time.

Though the 2021 US Open champion's results on grass this season have been varied, highlighted by a 3-2 record at the Queen's Club Championships and Eastbourne, she is the firm favourite to progress into round two against either Marketa Vondrousova or McCartney Kessler.

A good result could see the world No. 38 improve her season record of 16-13, but the British No. 1 will be cautious against her teenage opponent.

Xu, making her Grand Slam debut, aims to play fearlessly and without pressure against the former No. 10, seeking to pull off an upset against a former Major champion at her first appearance at a leading event.

The 17-year-old could not make it through qualifying in 2022, 2023 and 12 months ago, losing to Hanna Chang, Storm Hunter and Ipek Oz, respectively, but will be in the main draw in 2025 after being granted a wildcard.

Entering the third Slam of the season with the element of surprise on her side, the world No. 318 strives to upset her higher-ranked opponent in the all-British clash.

Although Xu has yet to defeat a top-50 player, losing to Magda Linette in Nottingham and Peyton Stearns in Eastbourne, she has beaten Alycia Parks in Birmingham and Katie Volynets in Nottingham, both ranked in the top 100 at the time.

Facing another top 50 opponent on Monday, the teenager hopes to turn her luck around and aim for a big upset as she strives to beat the British No. 1 at Wimbledon.

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Head To Head

Raducanu and Xu will meet for the first time on the women's tour, with the winner leading their head-to-head 1-0.

Unlike the Welsh teenager, appearing at Wimbledon for the first time, the world No. 38 has a 7-3 record in main-draw matches at SW19, and the 2021 US Open champion is aiming for her eighth victory.  

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We say: Raducanu to win in two sets

While Raducanu must be cautious of the tournament debutant on Monday, the British No. 1, unbeaten in first-round matches at Wimbledon in her previous three appearances, is expected to see off Xu and progress to a second-round contest against Vondrousova or Kessler. ID:576458:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4232:

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