Emma Raducanu will head into this year’s Wimbledon under a veil of uncertainty, as her fitness remains in question.
The British number one, who snagged that spot from Katie Boulter earlier this month, has admitted to struggling behind the scenes with an unknown issue that poured out after she beat Ann Li on Tuesday.
Deserving respect, and time to work through that pain, the timing of the upcoming Grand Slam will sadly not afford her the latter.
Wimbledon starts in less than a week, and ready or not, Emma Raducanu will be forced into action.
With that in mind, Sue Barker has called for a relaxation on the pressure put on her compatriot, whilst also outlining a big worry she still holds for the youngster.
Sue Barker wants fans to ease off Emma Raducanu
Chatting with The Independent, just after she touched on Jack Draper’s chances at Wimbledon, Barker then addressed the growing pressure on Raducanu.
She implored fans to have a little more patience with the 22-year-old, who was catapulted into superstardom before she was ready.
The pundit claimed: ‘I think everyone expects too much from Emma. It was a fairytale, a fluke, whatever you want to say – a qualifier coming through to win a grand slam, it should be a Hollywood movie. And yet everyone thinks that because she’s done that, she’s now going to be top 10. It doesn’t work like that – she wasn’t a top-10 player [when she won], she’d hardly played the game.
‘I’m thrilled that this year she’s playing really well, the serve’s improved, the forehand’s improved, Petch [Mark Petchey] is in the corner, I think that’s a great signing. I hope she really builds a relationship with a coach, like Jack, because to have that longevity and trust with someone is important.
‘Physically, I worry about the injuries. It doesn’t matter how well you play; if your body breaks down, you’re gone. As Jack found out – Emma has got to do the same, build up her strength.’
Emma Raducanu’s loss to Maya Joint at Eastbourne rounded off a tough preparation for Wimbledon earlier this week.
Emma Raducanu has had a back-to-front career
Normally, many players enjoy the first few years of their career in relative obscurity.
They play regularly, find form and fitness, hone their games and slowly grow into the type of player they want to be.
Then, after years and years of preparation, only some might be ready to challenge for a Grand Slam.
Raducanu, conversely, won the biggest honour in tennis before she had even really started her career.
The 22-year-old, who was just 18 when she won the US Open, was handed a level of fame and expectation that she herself would admit she was not ready for. From that point onwards, many thought that Raducanu would continue winning at such an impossible rate and become the next big thing for British tennis.
It was a wholly unreasonable expectation and one that has clearly weighed her down at times.
Now, she needs a little patience to allow her to achieve the steps most manage to do in the shadows early on in their career. Only in a few years can any criticisms lobbied at her be slightly more justified.
