The Welsh Teen Who Chats with Emma Raducanu in Mandarin (And Is About to Face Her at Wimbledon)

By Lewis Barnett 30 June, 2025 6 mins read 179 Views

Okay, so Wimbledon's back and everyone's talking about the usual suspects.

But here's someone you probably haven't heard of yet: Mimi Xu. She's 17, she's Welsh, and she's about to walk onto Court No. 1 to face Emma Raducanu in what has to be one of the most fascinating first-round matchups I've seen in years. Why fascinating? Well, these two actually practice together. They text in Mandarin. And now they're going to try to destroy each other's Wimbledon dreams.

Talk about awkward.

Audio Summary of the Article

From Swansea to SW19 (With a Stop in Loughborough)

Mingge Olivia "Mimi" Xu – and yes, she goes by the nickname because let's be honest, tennis commentators would butcher "Mingge" – started hitting balls at the Swansea Tennis and Squash Club. Her parents are Chinese, she grew up in Wales, and somewhere along the way someone realized this kid could actually play.

Fast forward through junior tournaments, a move to the National Tennis Academy in Loughborough (because that's where serious British tennis players go to freeze their butts off while perfecting their backhands), and here we are. She's ranked 318th in the world, which sounds low until you realize there are thousands of professional tennis players and most of them are broke.

What makes Xu special? She's the first Welsh player to make the main draw at Wimbledon since Rebecca Llewellyn back in 2005. That's almost 20 years. Poor Wales has been waiting for someone to carry the flag, and now they've got a teenager who won four doubles titles on the junior circuit last year and snagged her first singles title in Aldershot.

Aldershot. Not exactly Roland Garros, but everyone starts somewhere.

The Mandarin Connection (This Gets Weird)

Here's where the story gets interesting.

Xu and Raducanu aren't just random opponents thrown together by the Wimbledon draw gods. They're friends. They practice together. During the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Xu was literally a hitting partner for the British team – which means she was there to help Raducanu prepare for matches.

Both have Chinese heritage, both speak Mandarin, and according to reports, they actually communicate in Mandarin when they're together. Imagine being a fly on the wall for those conversations. "Hey, want to grab lunch after I potentially end your Wimbledon run?"

Xu has called Raducanu a "role model," which is sweet and all, but role models don't usually help you win tennis matches. At some point on Monday, the friendship gets put on hold and it becomes about who wants it more.

What Happens When Friends Collide

I've been covering tennis for years, and these friend-versus-friend matchups are always the most uncomfortable to watch. You can see it in their body language during the coin toss – that weird mix of competitive fire and "I really don't want to hurt you."

For Xu, this is everything. First Wimbledon main draw appearance, Court No. 1, primetime slot, against someone she knows and respects. The pressure has to be insane. For Raducanu, it's almost worse – lose to your teenage practice partner and the British media will have a field day.

But here's what I think happens: once that first ball gets struck, the friendship disappears. These are professional athletes. Xu didn't work her way up from a club in Swansea to play nice on Centre Court.

The kid's got nothing to lose and everything to prove. Raducanu's got the weight of expectations and a ranking to protect.

My money? This match goes three sets, and whoever wins will have earned it the hard way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone play tennis late and become a professional player?

While it is more challenging, it is not impossible for someone to start playing tennis at a later age and still achieve professional status. Success will depend on the individual's athletic ability, work ethic, dedication, and access to quality coaching and competition. The path to professional status may be more difficult for late starters, as they will have to focus on intensive and focused training.

What does the daily training schedule of a top tennis player look like?

The daily training regimen of a top tennis player is both rigorous and meticulously structured. It often includes several hours on the court, focusing on technical drills, tactical practices, and match play situations. The players will also take part in a fitness program designed to increase their strength, flexibility, and endurance. This includes stretching, massages, or other recovery techniques such as physiotherapy. The importance of proper nutrition and psychological coaching is also a key component to ensuring that athletes are able to maintain their peak performance, both mentally and physically.

How does mental and psycho-social training affect tennis training?

Tennis players must be mentally and psychologically fit. The players need to learn how they can manage their stress levels, stay focused, and deal with the emotional ups and downs of competition. Common practices include visualization, goal-setting, mental rehearsals and goal-setting. Working with a sports psychologist can help players build resilience, develop coping strategies for pressure situations, and elevate their mental game to match their physical prowess on the court.

When should a football player start to train in order to become a professional?

While there is no set age to begin training for professional tennis, starting at a young age does provide an advantage. Many professional players begin training between the ages of 4 and 7. Early development allows for a player to establish a solid foundation with regards to skills, technique and coordination. However, it's crucial to balance training with general childhood development to nurture a passion for the game without causing burnout or injury.

How can a tennis athlete balance intense training and school?

Balance between academic obligations and intensive training schedules can be difficult for aspiring players. The ability to manage time, prioritize, and create a schedule that works for you is essential. Flexible academic programs and online schooling can accommodate the busy training and traveling schedules of young athletes. Support from coaches, family and educational institutions is crucial in ensuring athletes can pursue their sporting ambitions without compromising education.

Statistics

Strength and conditioning coaches emphasize core strength, noting that an increase in core stability can improve shot accuracy by up to 43%.
Studies show that superior agility and speed among tennis players can reduce their reaction time by up to 30%, which is crucial during high-level matches.
On average, it's estimated that only 1 in 5000 high-level junior tennis players will develop into internationally ranked professionals.
Top tennis players typically train for 4 to 6 hours per day, divided between on-court practice and fitness training.
Approximately 70% of a professional tennis player's training time is devoted to developing technique and on-court strategies.

External Links

How To

How to Master Your Tennis Footwork and Court Movement

Conditioning is the first step to mastering tennis footwork. To improve your lateral, linear and squat movements, incorporate agility exercises such as ladder drills or cone drills in your routine. Split stepping (a short hop when your opponent hits your ball) is an effective way to quickly transition from one move to the next. By incorporating dynamic drills which mimic matchplay scenarios, you can improve your ability to recover quickly after each shot. Balance and coordination exercises should be the focus of your training. Finally, during match play, be aware of your movement and strive to position yourself optimally, giving yourself enough time to hit each ball comfortably.