It’s pretty much ten years to the day that Wimbledon’s Centre Court almost witnessed one of the biggest upsets in the Open Era. The Friday Night Thriller, as it was dubbed at the time, had Wimbledon’s main showcourt rocking.
Britain’s Heather Watson came within a whisker of knocking out world No.1 Serena Williams. And the American was furious with how the rowdy Centre Court crowd were willing her to lose.
Every Watson winner brought the 15,000 capacity area to it’s feet. Every Williams winner led to groans. It made Watson a household name in the UK. It made Williams the No.1 villian.
At one moment in the match, which took place on the Friday night of July 3, 2015, Williams continuously asked the umpire to tame the spectators. When that didn’t work she took matters into her own hands, wagging her finger and telling the crowd “don’t try me.”
The multiple Grand Slam champion, who went on to win the title, was completely rattled. The ultimate headloss. Watson served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set, she fought valiantly and came incredibly close. But Williams ultimately progressed with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory in two hours and 15 minutes.
At Eastbourne a couple of weeks ago, Watson reflected on that iconic night, saying: “It’s kind of wild, that’s 10 years ago? God, I feel like it was maybe four or five years ago, but yeah, that was one of or “the” best atmosphere I have ever played in front of, I think, being the occasion, third round Wimbledon, total underdog against the best player in the world. I’m pretty sure she had won Australian Open and French Open leading into it, and then she ended up winning the tournament.
“To come so close against someone who was my idol growing up, against someone I had never shared the court with before, was an amazing occasion for me and one I’ll always carry with me as one of the highlights, even though I didn’t come out on top.”
She added: “I just feel, when I think back to that match, was every time I won a point and I was using the crowd and embracing the occasion, I’d get goose bumps, because it was so loud you could not hear. It was a roar every time I won a point.
“That, for me, is what it so special. Sport is entertainment, you know, and I feel that way being an athlete. I don’t want to play in empty stadiums. I don’t want to play on small courts. That’s what it’s all about.”
And now the British crowd have to do the same again. Emma Raducanu has been given the prime Friday evening slot to take on world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. Nobody is giving the Brit a chance.
Sabalenka is the heavy favourite to run away with the title and Raducanu will need all the help she can get from the home crowd.
Sabalenka struggled to deal with the hostile crowd during the 2023 US Open final against Coco Gauff, with everyone inside Arthur Ashe Stadium wanting their American star to win – which she did.
All the signs are there – a loud Centre Court could lead to Raducanu pulling off the biggest upset of her career and it would be a Wimbledon moment remembered for decades to come.
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