US Open champion Emma Radukanu defeated Alison van Uytwank 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to the delight of a partisan crowd on Wimbledon Center Court.
The 19-year-old British player, who was injured for the Grand Slam, struggled to impose himself in a first-round match, but broke serve in the seventh game.
Van Uytwank made a comeback but Radukanu seized the initiative by applying the brakes again and saved the first set 6-4, surviving a tough test on his serve.
The pair swapped breaks in the second set and in the ninth game, Radukanu took the break again, comfortably capturing the serve and winning with a backhand volley to the delight of the crowd.
“It’s an incredibly special feeling to be back at Wimbledon,” said the British number one, who reached the fourth round last year.
“When I got out of the field and was walking around the field, I felt the support of the times. I want to say thank you to all those who are supporting here even in difficult times. It’s worth it to play on the center court and win.”
Radukanu has been battling minor injuries since his sensational win at Flushing Meadows last year, including a side strain earlier this month.
The teenager didn’t miss a set in New York, becoming the first British female player to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977.
But he has not won more than two matches in a tournament since then.
She will take on France’s Caroline Garcia for a place in the last 32.
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