Wimbledon 2021: Emma Raducanu, 18, defeats Sorana Cirstea in straight sets to reach fourth round

Last update on. From the section TennisWimbledon 2021 at the BBC Dates: All England Club: 28 June-11 Jul Coverage: Live on BBC TV, Radio and Online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer and Red Button, Connected TVs, and mobile app. You can find more details hereEmma Raducanu's dream debut at Wimbledon continued with victory over Romanian world number 45 Sorana Cistea.The British wildcard of 18 years, ranked 338th, was fresh from completing her A Levels and impressed with a win of 6-3 7-5.She stunned Cirstea, 31, by winning eight consecutive games on a showcourt for the first time.Raducanu stated, "I am so speechless right at the moment.""I wasn't sure what I would react to, but then it just happened. I am so, so grateful to all of the support that I received today."This is the largest court I have ever played on. I believe I did quite well at the beginning. I just tried my best to keep my cool."When I was packing to go into the bubble, my parents asked me, 'Are you packing too many match kit?' "I think I will have to do some laundry tonight.Raducanu is the youngest woman from Britain to make it to the Wimbledon final 16 in the Open era. She will next face Ajla Tomljanovic from Australia.Emma Raducanu impressed us with her strong backhandRemember this dayWe now know the truth if we didn't know it before. Emma Raducanu is the new star in British tennis.Raducanu was stunned more than anyone when she beat Marketa Vondrousova to reach the third round. She said she felt like she was on vacation.After making her WTA Tour debut in Nottingham earlier this June, Andy Murray's father, Nigel Sears, was Andy Murray's coach. She was then handed a wildcard to the main draw.Just hours after Wimbledon saw Andy Murray, the British legend, question his future after he was eliminated in the third round, they witnessed another talent emerge.Raducanu made her way to Court One and couldn't help but smile as she looked around at the crowd, as she set out her bag and towel.She was not affected by the thousands of people watching her, holding break point in every game, even though she missed the chance to win first blood.Cirstea, who was five years old when she played her first Wimbledon match against Raducanu, won the fourth game. In what was the beginning of a long-lasting run, the young Briton broke Raducanu immediately.She won eight consecutive games and took the first set. It looked like she was on her way to a dominating two-set win.However, Cirstea, who had defeated Victoria Azarenka twice in the previous round of the Grand Slam, broke back in the fifth match. It looked like nerves were beginning to creep in.In a game of close to 15 minutes, she held five break points at 3-4 ahead. But it was the 12th game that sealed the match.Amazing backhand win that made Cirstea drop her racquet in disbelief was what caused Cirstea to lose her head. Raducanu, who had hit 30 winners, went on to secure her place in round four on her third match point.She reaches the 16th round and her prize money is increased to 181,000, which is significantly more than her career earnings of $39,558 (28.762).After clinching victory, Emma Raducanu collapsed to the ground in shock."She was fearless right from the beginning."Tracy Austin, two-time Grand Slam champion, on BBC TVShe was brave from the start. Before this Wimbledon, she hadn't won any WTA matches. She seems like an amazing competitor to me. She can rebound quickly.She is a skilled court player. She has the defense, the offense, and the even-keeled temperament. Cirstea had a great spring. She beat Azarenka, and was on a high.Raducanu plays with a level of engagement and clarity that is appropriate for her game. Even her last match, it was on her third match point, and she remained calm.Everyone will soon know who she really is. This match was not hers. She will still be ranked outside of the top 200. It won't be easy.We have talked about the openness of the tournament. Tomljanovic has never been so deep in a Slam. You can beat Cirstea, you can beat Tomljanovic.