Emma Raducanu secured a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 victory over fellow Briton Mimi Xu in the first round at Wimbledon on Monday, but it was an unexpected interruption that provided the most memorable moment of the match.
During a changeover after Raducanu had taken the first set, a spectator in the Court 1 stands popped open a bottle of champagne, sending the cork flying over the British No. 1's head and onto the court.
The cork landed in the service box, prompting the former US Open champion to walk over and pick it up, waving it in the air before offering it back to the crowd.
The BBC's coverage missed this light-hearted moment entirely, cutting away to display first-set statistics instead of showing Raducanu's playful interaction with the fans.
Emma Raducanu joked about the BBC missing her 'champagne' moment
Wimbledon
Television viewers at home were left unaware of the incident, which saw the 22-year-old laughing as she retrieved the cork from the court.
The broadcaster's decision to switch to graphics meant audiences missed seeing Raducanu's amused reaction and her gesture of waving the cork at the spectators.
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The moment went unbroadcast despite occurring during a routine changeover, leaving those watching from home puzzled when Raducanu later referenced it in her post-match interview.
Raducanu addressed the unseen incident during her on-court interview, telling the crowd: "I'm glad people were having fun today!
"I saw a champagne cork fly onto the court so that was fun, glad you guys are having a good time, cheers to you!"
The British star was clearly in high spirits following her victory, adding: "I'm super pleased to have come through that match, it's so difficult playing another Brit in the first round.
"When the draw came out, I can't say that I was loving it, Mimi is such a good player."
She thanked supporters for creating "a really nice atmosphere" despite the divided loyalties.
Raducanu's performance was impressive throughout, with the world No. 40 hitting 25 winners to just 12 unforced errors in the sweltering conditions.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz survives all-time Wimbledon shock with gruelling victory over Fabio Fognini
"It's my favourite tournament by far 🫶"
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2025
Emma Raducanu is loving the feeling of being back at #Wimbledon after completing a first round victory over Mimi Xu ♥️ pic.twitter.com/7Mqefo1fW1
Her troublesome back, which has caused issues throughout the season, posed no problems during the match.
The victory sets up a second-round encounter with Czech star Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, scheduled for Wednesday.
Vondrousova has recently found form after injury struggles, winning the WTA 500 event in Berlin and defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka along the way.
Raducanu can draw confidence from having beaten Vondrousova at Wimbledon in 2021, when she made her Grand Slam debut as an 18-year-old wildcard.
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