After Emma Raducanu won the US Open title and went global, a video was posted on social media of her as a 12-year-old playing a dazzling rally in a match against another British youngster. And that went viral too.

Only it wasn’t Raducanu hitting the glorious running forehand winner at the end of the rally, but her opponent, Sonay Kartal, who went on to battle valiantly through health setbacks to establish her tennis career while Emma’s soared into the stratosphere.

Today, a decade on from that match on a children’s court, both of them will be sharing the spotlight at Wimbledon on the biggest stage of all.

While Raducanu continues to flourish on her march back towards the summit, taking on Greek luminary Maria Sakkari, Kartal will tackle the match of her young life against No.2 seed Coco Gauff.

“Those are the moments you dream of as a little kid. It’s a really special thing,” coos Kartal, who will be facing someone who was actually playing at Wimbledon when she was barely more than a little kid herself. The 15-year-old Gauff, who enchanted us all back in 2019 with her triumph over Venus Williams, still has that feel of a Wimbledon champion-in-waiting.

Not that the world No.298 sounds in any way overawed by the thought of tackling the US Open champion. “I think that if I can continue my form, I’ll give myself a good chance,” she shrugs.

Terrific fighting talk from a 22-year-old, who had an undisclosed serious health issue at the start of 2024 which she thought would sideline her for the year, but which actually hasn’t stopped her becoming the first British qualifier to reach the third round since Karen Cross in 1997.

Raducanu, of course, knows a thing or two about a decent qualifying run. When she made history in Flushing Meadows, Sakkari was her semi-final victim en route to the title, hammered 6-1, 6-4, and she’s not particularly invested in reliving a Greek tragedy. Asked for her memories of that day, she responded: “Oh, I don’t remember. I’m sorry. It’s been too long, no?” Who can blame her for trying to blank that one out?

“That week, it was written in the stars for Emma,” Sakkari believes. She’s still seeking one of those weeks herself after also missing out on a match point against Barbora Krejcikova to reach the Roland-Garros final in 2021.

So who’s the favourite? “Obviously she is because she’ll be playing at home,” shrugs Sakkari. “Again, it’s going to be one where I’m the complete underdog,” smiles Raducanu. Hmm, take your pick.

Emma got the privilege to watch Carlos Alcaraz at close quarters in his last match. It’s like being at the world’s best fireworks party. Aleksandar Vukic, his last victim, said he came off court feeling like he had been blitzed by a smiling hitman and ended up saying to himself: “Wow, what just happened?”

Frances Tiafoe is next up for the full Carlitos experience, but then the American 29th seed, a rare firecracker himself, has already experienced it in glorious technicolor at Flushing Meadows in 2022, eventually succumbing in a wonderful semi-final.

Tiafoe moans that in 2024, he really hasn’t been firing but growls that, rejuvenated after a season of “losing to clowns”, he’s still coming for his pal Alcaraz. The Spaniard just beams back: “I’m coming for him!”

Alcaraz is still on course for a semi-final date with world No.1 Jannik Sinner, who survived 65 winners to sink his compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the last round and is looking well primed for anything that Miomir Kecmanovic, Serbia’s world No.52, might care to throw at him.

We’ll all be zipping down Church Road on Vespas soon, such is the delicious flavour to this Wimbledon. Berrettini couldn’t quite blow the bloody doors off Sinner, but now we’ve still got a rejuvenated Fabio Fognini and Roland-Garros finalist Jasmine Paolini undertaking their latest Italian jobs.

Paolini gets her first major Show Court date on No.1 Court against Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open champion, while the marvellous Fognini takes on Roberto Bautista Agut, the former semi-finalist still going strong at 36, in another of those irresistible veterans’ clashes we’re getting used to.

Fognini’s piratical look has long gone as he holds back the years at 37 with his new beach-blond, boy-band image. “I lost a bet – they’re calling me Bart Simpson,” he offers cryptically – but, following his victory over Casper Ruud, he does seem in an awfully good mood for a fellow who once fancied blowing up Wimbledon. Ah well, he grins, “I’m growing up quick!”