Young British players boost local hopes at Wimbledon for another homegrown champion

LONDON (AP) — The mini-Union Jack flags were flying high as Emma Raducanu closed out a dominant victory on the grass courts of Wimbledon.

“You're going all the way Emma!” was the assessment of one fan who broke the silence at No. 1 Court while Raducanu awaited an interview moments after her 6-1, 6-2 second-round victory over Elise Mertens on Wednesday.

British players not named Andy Murray have struggled to make a lasting impact at the All England Club in recent years, but there are flickers of hope these days.

All sorts of local treats are on tap for Thursday, when there's an important matchup outside the grounds, too, in Britain's national election. In all-British second-round encounters, Katie Boulter will play Harriet Dart before Jack Draper faces Cameron Norrie.

And first up on Centre Court will be Jacob Fearnley, a 22-year-old wild-card entry from Scotland, squaring off with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

Speaking of Scotland, Murray will also be on Centre Court when he plays doubles with his brother, Jamie, ahead of a mixed-doubles pairing with Raducanu later in the tournament. The two-time Wimbledon champion pulled out of the singles competition.

“There’s a good vibe around British tennis at the moment,” said Anne Keothavong, a former British player who is now the captain of her country's team in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Part of the current boost is because Wimbledon granted a whole bunch of wild-card invitations to local players — just like the other Grand Slams do.

Of the 12 British men in the Wimbledon singles draw this year — the most since there were 14 in 1978 — eight were wild-card entries.

Only one of those eight — Fearnley — got out of the first round. Fearnley now goes from Alejandro Moro Canas — he beat the No. 188-ranked Spaniard 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (12) on Tuesday — to Djokovic.

He was asked how to beat Djokovic, who has won a men's record 24 Grand Slam trophies.

“I have no idea," said Fearnley, who just finished playing college tennis at TCU. “I don’t think there’s many tactics going into the match.”

Murray's looming retirement could create a leadership gap, but Liam Broady is optimistic for the younger generation because he sees them learning lessons about life on tour at earlier ages.

“Jack (Draper) is a prime example of that, just been soaking up all the advice he can from Dan Evans and Andy Murray from a very young age,” said the 30-year-old Broady, who lost his first-round match Monday.

Normalizing big wins is another step, he said.

“Not getting too excited with wins against good players, understanding that you're a good player as well, and this is commonplace,” Broady said. “To be a good player, consistency is the most important thing, especially off the court. I think that’s what a lot of these guys have really learned.”

The big-serving Draper, 22 years old and seeded No. 28 at the All England Club, scored a big win over Carlos Alcaraz at Queen's Club in the Wimbledon buildup. He also won the Stuttgart Open last month to earn his first tour-level title.

Draper, who overtook Norrie as the highest-ranked British player, said Norrie is a friend but he “won’t like the fact that I’m British No. 1 now."

The 27-year-old Boulter, who has been limited by injuries in past years, beat Dart last month en route to defending her Nottingham Open title.

Wearing red-and-white England bucket hats at the Raducanu match, fans Dan Golding and Alex Tresadern said players like Raducanu — the 2021 U.S. Open champion who has been slowed by injuries in the past year — and Draper are giving a big pick-me-up to local tennis fans.

“It’s exciting. They're drawing crowds,” Golding said. “It’s a really exciting time to have something new coming through."

Also Wednesday, 22-year-old Sonay Kartal became the first British women’s qualifier to reach the third round since 1997. She gets to play Coco Gauff next.

There's also a good pipeline of young talent, said Keothavong, pointing to 15-year-old Hannah Klugman's run to the last round in Wimbledon qualifying.

“You need the strength in numbers," Keothavong said. "You look at any kind of strong tennis nation, that’s what they have, and the players, they push each other — they see what the others are doing.”

Maybe all the good vibes will carry over to Saturday when the England men's soccer team faces Switzerland in the European Championship quarterfinals.

Raducanu had likened her first-round victory to the England team's comeback win over Slovakia in the previous round.

“It was like winning ugly," Raducanu said. "It all counts.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Spectators react during Emma Raducanu of Britain's first round match against Renata Zarazua of Mexico at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Harriet Dart of Britain plays a forehand return to Zhuoxuan Bai of China during their first round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Britain's Katie Boulter on the practice court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Saturday June 29, 2024. The Wimbledon Championships begin on July 1. (John Walton/PA via AP)

David Beckham gestures as watches the first round match on Centre Court between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Mark Lajal of Estonia at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Britain's Andy Murray looks on in the warm up area on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Murray will play only doubles at his last appearance at the All England Club following his withdrawal from singles after back surgery. (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

Harriet Dart of Britain reacts after winning a poiunt against Zhuoxuan Bai of China during their first round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Supporters of Emma Raducanu of Britain wave a flag during her second round match against Elise Mertens of Belgium at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Supporters of Britain's Emma Raducanu react after her win over Elise Mertens of Belgium in their match on day three at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Jack Draper of Britain celebrates after defeating Elias Ymer of Sweden in their first round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Supporters of Britain's Emma Raducanu react after her win over Elise Mertens of Belgium in their match on day three at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrates after defeating Elise Mertens of Belgium in their match on day three at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that he is scrapping a controversial Conservative policy to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda as he vowed to deliver on voters' mandate for change, though he warned it will not happen quickly.

“The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started,” Starmer said in his first news conference. “It’s never acted as a deterrent. Almost the opposite.”

Starmer told reporters in a wood-paneled room at 10 Downing St. that he was “restless for change,” but would not commit to how soon Britons would feel improvements in their standards of living or public services. His Labour Party delivered the biggest blow to the Conservatives in their two-century history Friday in a landslide victory on a platform of change.

The 30-minute question-and-answer session followed his first Cabinet meeting as the his new government takes on the massive challenge of fixing a heap of domestic woes and winning over a public weary from years of austerity, political chaos and a battered economy.

“We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work,” Starmer said as he welcomed the new ministers around the table at 10 Downing St. He said it had been the honor of his life to be asked by King Charles III to form a government in a ceremony that officially elevated him to prime minister.

Among a raft of problems they face are boosting a sluggish economy, fixing a broken health care system, and restoring trust in government.

“Just because Labour won a big landslide doesn’t mean all the problems that the Conservative government has faced has gone away,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.

In his first remarks as prime minister Friday after the "kissing of hands” ceremony with Charles at Buckingham Palace, Starmer said he would get to work immediately, though he cautioned it would take some time to show results.,

“Changing a country is not like flicking a switch,” he said as enthusiastic supporters cheered him outside his new official residence at 10 Downing. “This will take a while. But have no doubt that the work of change begins — immediately.”

He will have a busy schedule following the six-week campaign, heading out Sunday to visit each of the four nations of the U.K. — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- that he said had each voted in favor of Labour.

He will then travel to Washington for a NATO meeting Tuesday and will host the European Political Community summit July 18, the day after the state opening of Parliament and the King's Speech, which sets out the new government's agenda.

Starmer singled out several of the big items Friday, such as fixing the revered but hobbled National Health Service and securing its borders, a reference to a larger global problem of absorbing an influx of migrants fleeing war, poverty as well as drought, heat waves and floods attributed to climate change.

Conservatives struggled to stem the flow of migrants arriving across the English Channel, failing to live up to ex-Prime Minister’s Rishi Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats” that led to the controversial Rwanda plan.

Starmer’s decision on what he called the Rwanda “gimmick” was widely expected because he had said he wouldn’t follow through with the plan that has cost hundreds of millions of dollars and never taken flight.

It's unclear what Starmer will do differently to tackle the same crisis with a record number of people coming ashore in the first six months of this year.

“Labour is going to need to find a solution to the small boats coming across the channel,” Bale said. “It’s going to have to come up with other solutions to deal with that particular problem.”

Suella Braverman, a Conservative hard liner on immigration who is a possible contender to replace Sunak as party leader, criticized Starmer's plan to end the Rwanda pact.

“Years of hard work, acts of Parliament, millions of pounds been spent on a scheme which had it been delivered properly would have worked," she said Saturday. "There are big problems on the horizon which will be I’m afraid caused by Keir Starmer.”

Starmer's Cabinet is also getting to work.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy was to begin his first international trip Saturday to meet counterparts in Germany, Poland and Sweden to reinforce the importance of their relationship.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would open new negotiations next week with NHS doctors at the start of their career who have staged a series of multi-day strikes. The pay dispute has exacerbated the long wait for appointments that have become a hallmark of the NHS's problems.

Britain's Transport Secretary Louise Haigh leaves 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

Britain's Energy Secretary Ed Miliband leaves 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

Britain's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper leaves 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

Britain's Environment Secretary Steve Reed and Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith leave 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed a Cabinet of Labour Party lawmakers and a few outside experts as he tries to tackle priorities including boosting a sluggish economy, building more homes and fixing the creaking state-funded health service.(Claudia Greco, Pool Photo via AP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed a Cabinet of Labour Party lawmakers and a few outside experts as he tries to tackle priorities including boosting a sluggish economy, building more homes and fixing the creaking state-funded health service.(Claudia Greco, Pool Photo via AP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed a Cabinet of Labour Party lawmakers and a few outside experts as he tries to tackle priorities including boosting a sluggish economy, building more homes and fixing the creaking state-funded health service.(Claudia Greco, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Science Secretary Peter Kyle, left, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting leave 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

Britain's Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, left, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, center, and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson leave 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

Britain's Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy leaves 10 Downing Street, London, Saturday July 6, 2024, after taking part in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first Cabinet meeting following the General Election victory for the Labour Party. (Tejas Sandhu/PA via AP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech, following his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, in London, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed a Cabinet of Labour Party lawmakers and a few outside experts as he tries to tackle priorities including boosting a sluggish economy, building more homes and fixing the creaking state-funded health service.(Claudia Greco, Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Labour Party leader Keir Starmer smiles as he speaks to his supporters at the Tate Modern in London, Friday, July 5, 2024. After a few hours of sleep to shake off a night of celebration and an audience with the king, Keir Starmer will step through the front door of 10 Downing St. for the first time as prime minister on Friday. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside 10 Downing Street in London, Friday, July 5, 2024 after returning from seeing King Charles III where he was asked to form a government. Starmer's Labour Party swept to power Friday after more than a decade in opposition, as a jaded electorate handed the party a landslide victory — but also a mammoth task of reinvigorating a stagnant economy and dispirited nation. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)