Wimbledon 2025: Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu & Katie Boulter get set to kick-start their campaigns at SW19
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As excitement builds towards The Championships, Wimbledon next week, Britain’s top-ranked stars have been preparing to start their campaigns at a home Grand Slam – and there’s plenty of reason for fans to be optimistic.
Jack Draper is at the highest ranking of his career at world No.4 and comes in as the fourth seed. Emma Raducanu is a former Grand Slam champion and has enjoyed two fourth round runs at SW19 in her career. Then there’s British No.2 Katie Boulter who is a two-time WTA title winner on grass with the game style to cause any player a threat on the surface.
They are just three players in a cast of 23 Brits in the singles draws this year – the most since 1984.
Ahead of the tournament, all three Brits spoke to the media about their hopes for The Championships, their preparations and how they’re feeling about this year’s draws.
Draper feeling strong ahead of Wimbledon
Draper is coming into this year’s tournament as a top four seed – following in the footsteps of the likes of Andy Murray and Tim Henman in the recent past.
It’s a deserved reward for a previous 12 months that has seen him reach the semi-finals of the US Open, win titles in Indian Wells and Vienna, make the final in Madrid and progress to the fourth round of Roland Garros.
After a semi-final outing at the HSBC Championships, where the Briton admitted he was struggling with tonsilitis, Draper is back and raring to go.
“I feel good now,” he said. “Queen's was a tough week for me, playing through that. I tried to give it my all but I wasn't able to find the tennis I wanted on the court or feel physically that great.
“To give myself a chance of making the final, I think was, in reflection, a really good effort.
“So happy to be back here at Wimbledon and I’ve had a good couple of days' practice. I’m feeling in a good place, so looking forward to getting going here.”
Despite his seeding, Draper has been dealt what could be a tough draw. If all goes as expected, he’d play Nottingham champion Marin Cilic in round two, Halle winner Alexander Bublik in the third, Miami Open titleholder Jakub Mensik and then seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in the quarters.
“I haven't looked at that at all,” he commented on the draw. “I look at my first round, who I have. I respect every person in the draw. I've got (Sebastian Baez) on Tuesday, and I'm not looking further than that. I know he's a strong player. He's here off his own merit. I look no further than him.”
Coming in as the highest ranked British player brings a certain level of pressure, but Draper has shown in the recent past that it’s something he’s able to deal with and overcome, in many ways thanks to his development as a player and person.
“I definitely feel like a very different player,” Draper explained. “I feel like personally I've grown a lot again since last year. I think it's a testament to the work I've done, to the people I have around me that have been with me through the ups and downs of my career so far.
“Obviously, I still feel I can improve so, so much. I'm nowhere near hopefully where I want to get to as a player.”
Raducanu ‘looking forward to getting out there’ at SW19
For Raducanu, it’s a welcome return to the Grand Slam where last year she came within touching distance of a first quarter-final last time around.
Off the back of a last eight appearance at the HSBC Championships and heading into Wimbledon, Raducanu is focused on enjoying herself at the All England Club and isn’t setting any expectations.
“I'm happy to be back here at Wimbledon,” she said. “It's a great privilege to be part of the Brits here. There's so many in the draw, so I think it will be great for anyone.
“Truthfully, I don't expect much from myself this year. I just want to go out there and embrace the moment. I want to embrace the occasion.
“I know there's not many opportunities to be playing at Wimbledon. You get it once a year and for a finite amount of time. I'm just looking forward to going out there and feeling the surroundings and the atmosphere.”
This year the British No.1 will have to navigate a tricky quarter of the draw that includes world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, Berlin champion and former Wimbledon title-winner Marketa Vondrousova and Lexus Nottingham Open winner, McCartney Kessler.
But to start with, Raducanu will have to play 17-year-old wild card Mimi Xu in the only all-British singles clash in the first round.
“I think it's a very dangerous match, very difficult,” Raducanu said. “I think Mimi is a really, really good player. I practiced with her a few times. She has lot of weapons and moves really well.
“For her it's one where there's nothing to lose. I remember when I had my first Wimbledon here and I was 18. It's a great feeling. You just feel, like, completely fearless. So, I think for me it's going to be a challenge, but one that I'm looking forward to and I'm ready for.”
Raducanu and Xu will play each other last on No.1 Court on Monday, which will likely follow the second match on Centre Court, featuring Boulter taking on ninth seed Paula Badosa.
Boulter a ‘dark horse’ at this year’s Championships
There’s been a few changes for Boulter since her last visit to Wimbledon. This time around she will be unseeded and unlike previous years, she decided to take a week out after making the quarter-finals at Nottingham to focus on her preparation for the home slam.
“It’s something I’ve not done before,” Boulter said commenting on the schedule change. “On the grass I try and maximise the fact that we have tournaments and it’s a chance to pick up ranking points that other players might not get.
“I’ve been ranked No.23 in the world but my goal is to try and have a run in tournaments like this, which will then change my ranking.
“So far its been really good for me. I’ve got a lot of time on these courts and I do find they play a little differently to a lot of the grass courts at other tournaments. In the past I’ve rushed in here on a Thursday or Friday and it’s been pretty manic. I’ve given myself the best chance at having a crack.”
Waiting for the draw on Friday, a top seed in the opening round wouldn’t have been the preference for Boulter but the Briton is relishing but the challenge.
Over the last 12 months, Badosa has seen the return to form that saw her reach a career-high world No.2 and reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
“I’m very excited, I feel like it’s a totally different situation coming in this year,” she said. “I’m not seeded, I’m a dark horse and I like that feeling. I can go out, swing freely and I have nothing to lose.
“I’m really looking forward to that match, I know how good she can be as well. She’s one of the best in the world, that’s why she’s got that ranking. It’s a chance for me to show what I can do against someone like that.
“I’ve got a great chance. I don’t feel any pressure, it’s more that I can’t wait to get out there and play tennis. It’s not every day you get to walk out there and play on Centre Court. I don’t take that for granted.”
