Emma Raducanu will discover her Wimbledon destiny on Friday when the first-round draw takes place. The British star is seeded at No. 30 for this summer's tournament, which gets underway on June 29.
Raducanu's Resurgence and Potential Challenges
The 2021 US Open champion, 23, has enjoyed a resurgence of late following a difficult start to 2026, reaching a final at Queen's Club, where she was beaten in straight sets by Donna Vekic. The young Brit has never progressed beyond the fourth round at the All England Club and this year could prove particularly challenging, with several high-profile stars left unseeded.
Raducanu could face the likes of Serena Williams, who is staging her comeback, or even former champion Barbora Krejcikova. Here, we take a look at the worst-case scenario for Raducanu and who she could draw in a nightmare opening-round match.
Barbora Krejcikova: A Former Champion
Krejcikova claimed her second Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2024, defeating Jasmine Paolini in the final, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. She also lifted the French Open trophy in 2021. Further bolstering her impressive record, she has reached the quarter-finals on two occasions at both the US and Australian Open.
Since that Wimbledon triumph, however, Krejcikova has been hampered by injuries and has competed in just six tournaments in 2026. The Czech star reached the final of the Libema Open earlier this month but was forced to withdraw through illness. Despite her recent struggles, the world No. 39 remains a formidable threat at Wimbledon and could pose Raducanu considerable problems.
Serena Williams: The Greatest Returns
What more is there to say? Should Raducanu draw Williams, she would be facing the greatest women's player ever to grace the sport. A staggering 23 singles titles, including seven Wimbledon crowns, represent just a fraction of her remarkable legacy.
The 44-year-old will make her return to the court at Wimbledon next week for the first time in four years as a wildcard. Should Raducanu come up against the American icon, she may take some comfort in the fact that Williams has not competed in a singles match since the 2022 US Open.
Yet would Raducanu truly relish the prospect of facing the greatest women's player the game has ever produced in the opening round, along with all the media circus that inevitably surrounds the superstar?
Williams had already been granted a wildcard into the doubles draw alongside her sister, Venus. Anticipation is mounting after Wimbledon confirmed the news on Sunday. A statement said: "This is not a drill. Serena Williams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at Wimbledon as a wild card."
Jelena Ostapenko: Fiery and Formidable
Ostapenko is a Grand Slam singles champion and a former Wimbledon semi-finalist. The 29-year-old Latvian currently sits 38th in the world rankings and is yet to play a single match on grass this season.
However, she possesses a thorough understanding of what it takes to progress deep into SW19 and a fiery temperament that Raducanu will be keen to avoid when the pressure is on.
Ostapenko was fined approximately £7,500 at Wimbledon in 2022 after venting her anger on a chair and a water bottle following her fourth-round defeat to Tatjana Maria in the women's singles. She was then reportedly booed by spectators as she made her way to the changing rooms after her outburst.
Katie Boulter: The British Rival
Raducanu would no doubt be keen to avoid facing Katie Boulter and splitting the crowd in an all-British encounter. Boulter has never progressed beyond the third round of a Grand Slam, but the unseeded player has defeated Raducanu on two occasions.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a resurgence in 2026, climbing back into the top 60. Boulter's rise was powered by securing her fourth WTA title in Ostrava in February, meaning she arrives in form and determined to make her mark at Wimbledon.
