Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter lead the charge of the British women at Wimbledon next week, where home hopes are as high as they have been for many years.
While landing the Venus Rosewater Dish seems a little far-fetched, Britain can now boast three women in the world’s top 50 when you throw Sonay Kartal into the mix as well.
Raducanu, the world No.38, already has the experience of winning a grand slam, of course, after her fairytale US Open win in New York in 2021 and after multiple injury issues and loss of form, she has climbed back up the rankings to take her place among the game’s top players once again.
World No.41 Boulter, meanwhile, has three WTA Tour titles to her name and although going through an inconsistent season, is more than capable of a decent run in SW19 especially in front of a passionate home crowd.
At a glance
‘Emma Raducanu has the ability to beat anyone’
Former Wimbledon finalist and coach Olga Morozova, dubbed the ‘Godmother of Russian tennis’, has been left impressed by Raducanu’s resurgence after long-term injury problems saw her fall down the rankings.
‘She’s playing much better now,’ Morozova told Metro. ‘She’s gone up the rankings and the quality of her game is getting better and better.
‘She is more aggressive. I have seen lots of good changes and improvements in her game. She has the ability to beat anyone because she won the US Open. I think she has a good team around her now to be successful.’
Morozova feels Raducanu, who recently reclaimed the British No.1 spot, can cause her opponents problems at Wimbledon by being aggressive and going to the net as often as possible.
‘On grass, you have to finish the point earlier,’ she added. ‘You have to be aggressive and you have to go to the net. But you need to know exactly how to approach it.
‘I think she’s doing it quite well, because I was watching her at the Italian Open. She can do it. She’s working on it. Sometimes when she comes to the net she wins the point quite nicely and I think she has to do that more often.’
Katie Boulter has ‘taken confidence’ from big wins
British No.2 Boulter has registered three top-10 victories to date – most recently defeating Jessica Pegula at the 2024 United Cup.
Speaking exclusively to Metro, Boulter says she’s ‘taken confidence’ from those big wins and also believes the British home crowd will make a ‘huge difference’ when she takes to the court at this year’s Championships.
‘I definitely take confidence from knowing I can compete with the best and get those big wins,’ Boulter, who is a Lexus ambassador, said.
‘But at the same time, I have a lot of respect for every opponent – there are no easy matches at this level. I go into every tournament taking it one match at a time, staying focused and just trying to build day by day.
‘The home crowd always brings such an incredible atmosphere, and I’m so grateful for the support – it honestly makes a huge difference.
‘As a Brit, Wimbledon will always be something that brings a lot of excitement and pride.
‘For me, it’s all about continuing to raise my level, staying healthy, and putting myself in the best possible position to take those chances when they come. Hopefully, the results will follow.’
One to watch: Sonay Kartal
Why Sonay Kartal could be set for a big breakthrough
Analysis from Metro’s dedicated tennis reporter Liam Grace…
British fans should keep a close eye on British No.3 Sonay Kartal at Wimbledon this year. The 23-year-old burst onto the scene at last year’s Championships with an impressive run to the third round, becoming our country’s first female qualifier to go that far since 1997.
Known for her powerful physique – developed through dedicated gym work and a love for fitness – Kartal, who has reached the world 50 this year, is a potential banana skin for a number of top players in the draw.
She didn’t look out of place in the first set of her Wimbledon clash with American superstar Gauff last year, taking four games off a player who was 296 places above her in the rankings at the time, and she followed that up by landing her first WTA Tour title in September 2024.
‘Kartal is doing very, very good this year,’ Morozova said. ‘She is strong physically, great legs and has a good slice which works well on grass.’
‘British girls know grass much better than anyone else’
Two of Boulter’s three WTA titles have come on grass and Morozova says it’s no coincidence that British women continue to thrive on the surface.
‘All the British girls know grass much better than anyone else because they started playing on it earlier than others,’ Morozova added.
‘Boulter and the others (Brits), they know what they have to do on grass. It sometimes takes time for the non-British players.
‘They are concentrating on Wimbledon but I think if you don’t have preparation, if you don’t have a good tournament before it, I think it’s difficult to do there.’
Who will enjoy the best run at Wimbledon 2025?
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Emma Raducanu
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Katie Boulter
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Sonay Kartal
Will Andy Murray coach one of Britain’s women?
Some British fans are dreaming of Andy Murray being Raducanu’s coach – but that doesn’t seem to be in the pipeline – despite the three-time major winner admitting a few years ago that he’d be open to working with her.
Murray is available after his coaching split with Novak Djokovic, although his own mother Judy thinks he may take some time away from the sport.
Boulter, when quizzed if she’s be open to Murray joining her own coaching team one day, said: ‘I’m incredibly lucky to have such a great team around me [already].
‘They truly understand what I’m working towards and the impact they have on me is huge. I owe so much to them – any success I have is down to their support, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
‘We’ve built a strong structure and routine that keeps me grounded and focused, which is so important to me. Andy has always been a hero of mine – he’s set such a great example for all British tennis players, and his legacy continues to inspire.’