“I really hope that I’m making Wales proud. I was in Swansea for 13 years so it’s really nice to be doing it for them as well,” she said.
Members from her former club are now clambering for tickets to see their superstar in action at SW19.
“There will be a lot of us heading up,” said David Williams, head coach at Swansea Tennis and Squash club.
“It’s welcome to the big time, isn’t it? Your first match in Wimbledon against Raducanu, a fellow Brit, a US Open champion, it just doesn’t get bigger.
“She’ll be on prime-time TV, she’ll be on a show court, you can’t wish for more, it’s an incredible draw and I know Mimi will be excited about that.
“Yes, Emma is going to be the heavy favourite, but it will be up to Mimi to cause a big shock and if she can calm the nerves and excitement I think she’ll put out a good performance.”
Williams worked with Xu from ages four to eight and said it was “pretty evident that we had something special on our hands”.
“It was clear that she had phenomenal hand-eye co-ordination and that she was a complete athlete,” he said.
“She was stronger, taller, faster than most of her peers at the time.
“It was the way she trained, her determination, her focus, and she was almost training like a professional even at that really tender age, it was impressive.
“What probably struck me the most with Mimi was her ability to learn. I’ve never seen anything like it since.”