With retired English soccer great David Beckham watching on, Emma Raducanu said she took some inspiration from his former club in her first Wimbledon victory in two years.
While Raducanu was never close to the brink of defeat in her 7-6(0), 6-3 win over Mexican lucky loser Renata Zarazua—unlike England, which trailed until stoppage time in what was eventually a 2-1 Round of 16 win over unheralded Slovakia at the European championships on Sunday—she found herself drawing parallels between her performances and that of the Three Lions anyway.
“I was for sure nervous, I think everyone could see it in my tennis a little bit, but at the end of the day, you just have to do what it takes to get over the line,” Raducanu said in her on-court post-match interview.
“Honestly, watching the football last night … it was like winning ugly. It all counts!”
