Emma Raducanu didn’t sugarcoat her thoughts after facing Iga Swiatek in the second round. The 22-year-old Brit was outplayed in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, as Swiatek extended her unbeaten record over Raducanu to 5-0. “I just don’t know what to do in the moment,” Raducanu said, admitting that she felt “exposed” by the world No.5’s dominance. This wasn’t just another loss. It was a reminder of the distance between Raducanu and the top-tier players she’s trying to catch up with. The pressure to perform has always been the highest for the British tennis star, who started her career winning a Grand Slam. But it’s probably time everyone stopped judging her to that standard. That includes Emma Raducanu herself. At least that’s what an ex-WTA player thinks!
Even with the defeat, there’s no denying the progress she’s made this season. After struggling with injuries and inconsistency over the past couple of years, Raducanu is finally stringing together results. She reached the quarterfinals in Miami and the last 16 in Rome, enough to help her crack back into the top 50.
A lot of that steady climb can be credited to her new coaching setup. Since March, she’s been working with Mark Petchey in what they’ve called an “informal” coaching arrangement. With less pressure and more freedom, Raducanu seems to be finding her footing again. Still, one stat stands out: Raducanu has won only three of her 14 matches against top-10 players. The gap is clear, and closing it won’t be easy.
The 22-year-old finds herself in a strange spot. Winning a Grand Slam is supposed to be the peak of a tennis career, so where do you go from there? Caroline Wozniacki has an answer. Speaking to TNT Sports, the former Australian Open champ said, “Nobody knows what she has been going through. The fact that she has won a Grand Slam and that was kind of her first burst on the scene, is very unusual. She kind of started at the top and then fell down and needs to work her way back, and that can be hard.” Her advice? Accept where you are and build from there. She said, “My level is 20 [in the world] or 30′ and just say ‘I need to build from there. As a tennis player, you are never a complete player, whether you are Rafa, Rodger or Novak, you can always improve.”
That echoes what Petchey has been telling Raducanu, too. “You are starting your career now. Everyone is judging you on what happened in 2021, but the reality is, I want to see you building a career here where people judge you in two years,” he said. Against players like Swiatek and Coco Gauff, who also beat her 6-1, 6-2 in Rome, he believes there’s a clear picture of the work that lies ahead.
And Raducanu is up for the challenge!
Emma Raducanu determined to turn over a new leaf on grass
It’s worth noting that clay has never been Emma Raducanu’s surface. Facing Swiatek at Roland Garros is no small task. The Pole owns the place, having won there 4 times already.
But there’s a bright side. Raducanu didn’t play the French Open last year, which means she had no points to defend. So even with the loss, she gains ranking points and will move up to World No. 37.
And she’s not hiding from the result either. “I don’t want to go and hide in a hole, so it’s OK. I need to get over it over the next few days and then get on the court and work to be better,” she told BBC Sport.
Now, all eyes turn to the grass. Wimbledon 2024 holds special memories – Raducanu reached the fourth round there, her best Slam run since the US Open win. This time, she plans to warm up with more matches to get in the groove.
Her grass-court swing starts in less than two weeks at Queen’s. After that, she’s eyeing Berlin and Eastbourne before Wimbledon kicks off on June 30. “I want to go into Wimbledon having had more matches on the surface,” she said. “I’ve not played on the grass for a whole year so it’s something new and not much time to turn over.”
Petchey will also be fully available to support her during this stretch. He had missed her opening-round win in Paris due to broadcasting duties but will now focus solely on her.Will the grass courts set the stage for her next breakthrough? What do you think?
The post “Nobody Knows What She’s Been Going Through”- Emma Raducanu’s French Open Exit Draws Touching Words from Ex-Champ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
