EMMA TO BE UNDERDONE FOR WIMBERS
EMMA RADUCANU is set to start Wimbledon after playing only 33 minutes of competitive tennis on grass this summer – unless she takes a late wildcard to enter Eastbourne.
The US Open champion pulled out of her first match at the Nottingham Open after only seven games with a side injury earlier this month.
The British No.1 had been expected to play at the Rothesay International Eastbourne next week to get extra match practice in the final event before her home Grand Slam.
But the teenager has still to ask for a wildcard as her team are understood to be reluctant to rush her back into action.
The 19-year-old has until 4pm today to apply or risks going into Wimbers seriously undercooked.
Like Andy Murray, who is also nursing an injury before SW19, Raducanu could play an exhibition match at the Hurlingham Club in west London next week in order to get some match action.
World No.11 Raducanu retired from the first round of the Rome Masters due to a back injury at the start of May and won only one match at the French Open.
Meanwhile, world No.180 Ryan Peniston reached the last eight at Queen’s Club on his ATP Tour debut by winning a rollercoaster encounter with Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 6-0 4-6 6-4.
And the Essex boy promised to prepare for today’s quarter-final with Serb Filip Krajinovic by watching Love Island.
The 26-year-old said: “It is an easy watch.”
Having beaten top seed Casper Ruud in the first round, Peniston added: “It is amazing. I don’t want to wake up.”
Katie Boulter will seek the biggest win of her career when she takes on former world No.1 Simona Halep in the quarter-finals of the Rothesay Classic Birmingham today.