Mimi Xu ‘loved’ Wimbledon debut despite loss to Emma Raducanu

Teenager Mimi Xu “loved every single moment” of her senior Wimbledon debut despite a straight sets first round defeat to Emma Raducanu.

Raducanu cruised to a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win against 17-year-old Xu, who had earned a wildcard for the Championships.

Xu, the first Welsh player to enter the Wimbledon main singles draw in 20 years, hopes the experience will inspire her to return to SW19.

“I loved every single moment out there,” Xu told BBC Sport Wales.

“I wouldn’t say it was my dream debut because winning would obviously have been my dream debut.

“But I’m really honoured and happy that this was my debut.

“I got to play a Grand Slam champion, a fellow Brit on a big court – I don’t think I could have asked for anything different.

“The crowd, the atmosphere, the court… everything. I didn’t want it to stop.

“When I came off court I started crying, but I wasn’t upset I just felt ‘oh my god I’ve just done that.'”