Raducanu had been preparing to face 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, a big-hitting Russian who reached the fourth round here last year.
But Alexandrova withdrew through illness on Monday morning, and instead Raducanu’s opponent was Mexican lucky loser Renata Zarazua, who had never won a tour-level match on grass and was making her main draw debut here.
Zarazua, ranked 98, has an unconventional game and she made life very tricky for Raducanu in the opening set but the 21-year-old dug in well to secure a 7-6 (0) 6-3 victory and become the first British winner of the tournament.
“It was an incredibly difficult match,” said Raducanu. “It took a lot of strength to get over the line. All props to her. In the morning you’re not in the draw and then you’re playing in Centre Court.
“It took a little bit of adjusting and finding my feet. I just want to say thanks to everyone for the support. I’m incredibly happy to be back here of course. I was for sure nervous but at the end of the day you just have to do what it takes.”
Raducanu was later joined in round two by British wild card Lily Miyazaki, who crushed. Tamara Korpatsch.
The Tokyo-born 28-year-old more than doubled her prize money for the year, earning £93,000 for less than an hour’s work.
A comprehensive 6-2 6-1 win over the German world number 73 secured a second-round meeting with 14th seed Daria Kasatkina on Wednesday.
King Carlos up and running
Carlos Alcaraz got his Wimbledon title defence off to an encouraging start with a straight-sets victory on Centre Court.
The 21-year-old Spaniard, seeded third this year, beat Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal 7-6 (3) 7-5 6-2 in two hours and 22 minutes.
Lajal, also 21 but ranked 266 places lower than Alcaraz, sported dreadlocks pulled back in a pineapple-style ponytail on his Wimbledon debut.
He took a chunk out of the three-time grand slam winner with a break of serve in the opening set.
But Alcaraz, who last month added the French Open to his Wimbledon and US Open titles, hit straight back and then eased through the gears.
“He played a really good match,” said Alcaraz. “Obviously he surprised me a little bit because I hadn’t seen him too much.
“He’s young, he’s my age and I’m sure I’m going to see him really soon on the tour and play him more often.
“But I’m really happy to get through and get my first win on Centre Court this year.”
Brits bow out
Arthur Fery missed out on the chance to become the first British winner on day one of this year’s Wimbledon after he lost in five sets to Daniel Altmaier.
World number 247 Fery sailed through the third set 6-1 to move one away from a maiden main-draw victory at the All England Club, but started to struggle physically on Court 16.
A medical timeout in the fourth provided brief respite for the 21-year-old and while the wild card left court before the fifth, it failed to stem the tide and he crashed out 4-6 7-6 (8) 1-6 6-3 6-1.
Liam Broady also bowed out in the first round.
The British number six, who reached round three last year, was left in a daze by Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Yet Broady’s 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2 defeat came less than a month after he suffered a freak head injury which he feared would rule him out of the Championships.
The 30-year-old from Stockport suffered severe concussion after smashing his head on the boot of his car.
Fortunately Broady recovered in time to receive a Wimbledon wild card, and he gave former world number 22 Van de Zandschulp plenty to think about after taking the second set.
