A disheartening French Open defeat has left Emma Raducanu’s dream of a Wimbledon seeding a mirage.

The Briton who has barely played through injury and illness over the last few seasons, crashed out in a dismal showing, losing 6-0, 7-6 (4) to Solana Sierra of Argentina.

The Day 1 defeat dropped her ranking to 39th, out of range for one of the 32 seeded spots when play begins in a month.

The former US Open winner is apparently ready to get straight onto the grass, with the BBC reporting that she has signed up for pre-Wimbledon WTA tournaments in Berlin and Eastbourne after Queen’s Club and prior to the Grand Slam.

Carlos Alcaraz could miss the entire grass season if a worst-case scenario on his wrist injury comes into play.

The Spaniard has already withdrawn from  title defences on clay at Rome and Roland Garros after injuring the wrist this month in Barcelona.

But latest reports from Spain indicate that the world No. 2 could possibly not be back until the start of the US Open run-up next August, possibly at the Cincinnati Masters.

Rome’s La Gazzetta dello Sport broke the bad news on the fitness state of Alcaraz, winner of the last two French Open editions. The paper reported there was no chance for the player to compete either at Queen’s club, London, or Wimbledon, which begins in late June.

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz reached Wimbledon final 2025 – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

Carlos Alcaraz bossed the lowest-ranked player left in the draw on Wednesday, with the two-time Wimbledon titlewinner posting a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 result over British qualifier Olivier Tarvet to move to the third round.  

Alcaraz is defending his title and hoping for three in a row next weekend as the second seed backs up the grass title he won at Queen’s club last month.

No. 733 Tarvet – Ollie to his friends – has played a limited schedule as he attends University in California.

Alcaraz is now riding a 20-match win streak, with titles in Rome, Roland Garros and on grass at Queen’s Club, London..

“I’ve just found the right way,” the second seed said. “I’m trying to enjoy every match.

“That’s been the key to the last two or three months. I want to enjoy and keep going forward. It’s a gift;  I want to make the most of my time at Wimbledon.”

Cam Norrie scratched out a British win as he left Frances Tiafoe frustrated by playing against the crowd in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 loss.

The winner was more than pleased with his showing: “I played an unreal match. All around complete. Serving well, moving well, solving the dropshot really well, which in the past I haven’t done that well. 

“Hitting the slice well. Coming forward well. Being clinical.”

He added: “Especially in the first set, I was playing well, serving well. I did  nothing wrong, but lost 6-4. 

“I just tried to tell myself to keep doing what I’m doing, not really changing too much and hoping his level would drop a little bit. 

“It did ever so slightly. I took my chances when I needed to. I was pretty calm. I was really enjoying my tennis out there.”

American 12th seed Tiafoe has never been past the Wimbledon fourth round, which he managed only once three years ago.

Tiafoe said playing against the home crowd did not particularly bother him, but Norrie sometimes did.

“He was super amped, saying, ‘C’mon’ from the first game, which is definitely annoying –  that part bothered me more than the crowd,” Tiafoe said.

“The biggest thing is that he kept going and playing much better because of the crowd. I don’t think he plays as well if the crowd wasn’t behind him.

“They really pushed him, and he started believing.”

Teenaged young gun Joao Fonseca cotinued to impress in his Wimbledon debut, with the 18-year-old overwhelming Eastbourne finalist Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 after three and a quarter hours, striking more than 50 winners.

Fonseca is the first Brazilian man into the third round here since Thomaz Bellucci in 2010.

“It’s a thing to be proud of myself, for sure; it’s a great achievement,” he said.

“It’s just an opportunity to be here, to play this amazing tournament. Now being in the third round is just amazing. 

“I’m so very happy the way that I’m developing on this surface, I’m evolving.. so  happy with it.”

Chile’s Nicolas Jarry – Fonseca’s next opponent – sent American Learner Tien home 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, but US player Brandon Nakashima beat Bu Yunchokete of China 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 91), 6-4.  

Portugal’s Nuno Borges accounted for Brit Billy Harris 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7). 

The 14th seeded Andrey Rublev got past South African Lloyd Harris with a 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3 fightback after losing in the opening round a year ago.

Valentin Royer lost 48 hours after stunning Stefanos Tsitsipas, with the French qualifier taken down by veteran compatriot Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (1) in nearly three and a half hours on the lawns.