Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon return proved to be an anti-climax as the US Open champion exited in the second round with a straight-sets defeat by Caroline Garcia.

Living up to the hype has proved impossible for the 19-year-old from Bromley so far and, a year after rocketing to stardom with a run to the fourth round and then achieving the unthinkable in New York, she slipped to a meek 6-3 6-3 loss on Centre Court.

Short of matches after three weeks out with a side strain, Raducanu was simply unable to find the level required to match Frenchwoman Garcia across the 86-minute contest.

Raducanu will next step out on the Grand Slam stage at the US Open, but she insists there will be no pressure ahead of her title defence.

She said: “There’s no pressure. Like, why is there any pressure? I’m still 19. Like, it’s a joke. I literally won a Slam.

“Going back to New York, it’s going to be cool because I have got a lot of experience playing on big courts, playing with people in the stadium, playing with the spotlight on you.

“I don’t mind that. For me, everything is learning. I’m embracing every single moment that is thrown at me.”