Emma Raducanu faces Wimbledon nightmare amid Eastbourne decision

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Emma Raducanu is set to start Wimbledon after playing only 33 minutes of competitive grass court tennis this summer unless she takes a late wildcard to enter Eastbourne.

The US Open champion pulled out her first match at the Nottingham Open after only seven games earlier this month with a side injury.

The British No.1 had been expected to play at the Rothesay International Eastbourne next week to get extra match practice in the final event before her home Grand Slam.

But the Bromley teenager has still to ask for a wildcard as her team are understood to be reluctant to rush her back into action. She has until 4pm Friday to apply or risks going into Wimbledon seriously under-cooked.

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Like Andy Murray, who is also nursing an injury before Wimbledon, Raducanu could play an exhibition match at the Hurlingham Club in West London next week to get some match action. The world No.11 retired from the first round of the Rome Masters due to a lower back injury at the start of May and won only one match at the French Open.

World No.180 Ryan Peniston reached the quarter-finals at the cinch Championships on his ATP Tour debut after winning a rollercoaster encounter with Francisco Cerundolo 6-0 4-6 6-4. And the Essex boy promised to prepare for tomorrow’s quarter-final against either Serb Filip Krajinovic by watching Love Island.

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The Manchester United fan, 26, said: “It is an easy watch. It is nice to chill out in the evenings and give it a little watch. My early favourite is Luca. He is funny.” The British No.7 raced to the first seven games and then won the final four against the Argentine No.3 and took his first match point with a superb forehand winner down the line.

Peniston, who beat top seed Casper Ruud in the first round, said: “It is amazing. I don’t want to wake up from this anytime soon.”

Katie Boulter will seek the biggest win of her career when she takes on former world No.1 Simona Halep in the quarter-finals of the Rothesay Classic Birmingham on Friday.

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