Raducanu powers her way in to third round in straight sets

By Paul Lagan at Wimbledon
On Court 1

Emma Raducanu v Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2

Bromley’s Emma Raducanu zipped through her second round encounter against Elise Mertens on Court 1 in straight set, winning 6-1, 6-2.
She won in an hour and 15 minutes.
In terms of physicality, power play and rallying ability, there was little to choose between the duo, but Raducanu’s gameplay was well executed and she stayed focused on every point.
Raducanu started like she wanted to get off the court as quickly as possible.
But that did not extend to her serving action, which in the opening couple of games she struggled with her throw-up.
However that did not deter her into racing into a 3-0 lead in 17 minutes of hard-hitting and quite a bit of hope the ball stayed in court.
Some wonderful returns finished off by a blistering down the line forehand gave the Bromley girl a 4-0 lead.
The confidence that any shot she played had a high chance of success coursed through Raducanu and it was no surprise that she held her serve to make it 5-0.
A sympathetic cheer when from the crowd when the Belgium finally won a game, but it left Raducanu to serve for the set.
Despite a minor hiccup in her game Raducanu saw the game out and the first set in 37 minutes.
A lovely dinked, angled drop shot by Raducanu set up the opening game of the second set on Mertens’ serve for Raducanu to lead love 40 but the server fought back to 30, before a blistering forehand down the line brought the game to deuce.
A wonderful backhand loop set up advantage for Raducanu, before a series of power shots fell in Mertens’ favour – back to deuce. And a couple of fast serves saw out the game in her favour.
A cross-court winner by Raducanu after Mertens looked as if she had got her game back to deuce, surprised and delighted the home crowd who cheered the break that gave her a 2-1 lead on her own serve.
An ace followed a sensational down the line backhand that gave Raducanu a game to love and a 3-1 lead.
The athleticism of the 21-year-old was in full evidence as she skipped round the court in that game.
And a brilliant drop shot from the baseline saw yet another game chalked off in her favour to leave the match just a couple of games away.
Power, poise, brilliant drives saw Raducanu ease through her game to leave Mertens looking to save her singles participation.
She did so with a high degree of ease, but Raducanu was set to play the final game of the match.
Was she going to blow it? Nah, it was all soon over and the one hour and 15 minutes whizzed by for Raducanu and her supporters but must have felt like an eternity for her vanquished opponent.

.