Emma Raducanu, the British No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion, shared her excitement about returning to Centre Court for her second-round match against 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova on July 2, 2025, revealing she plans to “star-spot” in the Royal Box during the match. Speaking after her 6-3, 6-3 first-round win over compatriot Mimi Xu on Court 1, Raducanu told *Express.co.uk*, “I think Centre and No. 1 are visually quite similar, except the Royal Box at the back. Occasionally, I glance up to see who’s there. I’m very aware of who’s watching.” She noted spotting David Beckham watching Carlos Alcaraz on Monday and Sir David Attenborough last year, adding, “I saw a frog on the practice court yesterday, and Mark [Petchey] picked it up, and we were joking he was like David!”
The Royal Box, a prestigious feature of Centre Court’s 14,974-capacity stadium, has hosted luminaries like Beckham, Princess Beatrice, Russell Crowe, and Cate Blanchett this week, per *The Guardian* and *The Telegraph*. Raducanu’s return to the main stage, her first since a fourth-round exit to Lulu Sun in 2024, comes after a challenging year marked by a back injury and off-court issues, including a stalking incident in February 2025, per *The Independent*. She expressed joy at playing in front of her home crowd, supported by close friends like Jane O’Donaghue and LTA fitness coach Ian Aylward, saying, “Having my core best friends here means a lot. It’s so rare they’re all here in one week,” per *The Telegraph*.
Raducanu, ranked No. 40, faces a tough test against Vondrousova, whom she defeated 6-3, 6-2 in 2021 as an 18-year-old wildcard, but the Czech’s recent Berlin Open title signals her grass-court prowess, per *Express.co.uk*. A potential third-round clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka looms, per *BBC Sport*. Raducanu’s lighthearted plan to scan the Royal Box reflects her relaxed mindset, bolstered by coach Mark Petchey, whom she rated “11 out of 10” for his guidance, per *BBC Sport*. Fans on X, like @TheiPaperSport, noted her rediscovered joy, tweeting about her reinvented approach to Wimbledon.
