“Emma played a brilliant match, not only in terms of the result. She hit some incredible shots,” said the Porsche Brand Ambassador and tennis fan after the 21-year-old Briton’s emphatic 6-1, 6-2 victory against the experienced Belgian Elise Mertens on Court 1 at the time-honoured All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. “The link with Porsche means there’s a rather special emotional bond. I was so pleased Emma played such a great match and that it made all her fans so happy. The atmosphere was amazing.”
He enjoyed the day at the world’s most important tennis tournament. “Wimbledon is something else with its long tradition and fantastic atmosphere. It’s a big privilege being in the grounds,” said Germany’s 2014 football World Cup winner before personally congratulating Emma Raducanu on her win when meeting briefly afterwards. He has followed the rise of the Porsche Brand Ambassador, but it was the first time he has watched her play live. For him, she is “a wonderful player with a very positive personality. She’s not only a good tactician but her game is very elegant, and she has a wide range of shots. It was huge fun watching her play.”
“Really put myself on the line on the court and fight“
Emma Raducanu is living her dream at Wimbledon. “I’m over the moon to be playing here and I’m so grateful to everyone and the support today,” she said after her match. In the third round, the local hero will face Porsche Friend Maria Sakkari, the No. 9 seeded Greek. Responding to a question about her expectations, Emma Raducanu said, “Results-wise I have no expectations. I just have expectations of myself to really put myself on the line on the court and fight and not let any frustrations get to me.”
The last time Emma Raducanu stood in the third round of a Grand Slam was in 2021 at the US Open where she sensationally went on to win the title.
Porsche in Tennis
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the flagship of Porsche’s worldwide involvement in women’s tennis. First played in Filderstadt in 1978, the long-standing Stuttgart tournament has been held in the city’s Porsche Arena since 2006. It stands for tradition and innovation, as does the Porsche brand. As the most loyal sponsor of women’s international tennis, Porsche has accompanied the WTA’s oldest indoor event right from the start. Together with its subsidiaries, the sports car manufacturer will to date be the automotive partner of the WTA tournaments in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Bastad (Sweden). Angelique Kerber and Emma Raducanu give Porsche a face in tennis as Brand Ambassadors. Jule Niemeier, Maria Sakkari, Karolina Muchova, Anett Kontaveit and Iga Swiatek are additionally “Friends of the Brand” in their home countries. As a premium partner of the “Deutsche Tennis Bund” (DTB – German Tennis Association), the company has been supporting Porsche Team Germany in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2012 and fosters up-and-coming players in the Porsche Talent Team and the Porsche Junior Team.
