Emma Raducanu reacts to harsh criticism from Andy Roddick for taking a break after reaching the quarterfinals in Miami

Emma Raducanu took a three-week break from tennis after reaching the quarter-finals of the Miami Open last month.

Emma Raducanu reacts to harsh criticism from Andy Roddick for taking a break after reaching the quarterfinals in Miami

Emma Raducanu and Andy Roddick (via X/WTA/Vogue)

Emma Raducanu is set to be back on the court at the Madrid Open after opting to take some time away from tennis after her fine run at the Miami Open. The British star was criticized by former World No.1 Andy Roddick for taking a break from the sport. Raducanu has reacted to the questioning stating that playing less works for her better.

Raducanu produced one of her best tennis since winning the 2021 US Open at the Miami Open last month. The 22-year-old took the tournament by storm after she defeated Emma Navarro in the second round. She then continued with the form against Amanda Anisimova, beating the American in straight sets. However, her run was cut short in the quarter-finals against Jessica Pegula.

The British star then opted not to represent Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers and also pulled out of the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen. That led Andy Roddick to question her decision to take time away after enjoying a fine run to the Miami Open quarter-finals. He added that more matches help players to get better form.

Raducanu reacted to the criticism in a recent interview. She revealed that despite the notion that more matches help form, she believes that the time and place of the event matter. She added that selecting tournaments to participate in helps her focus on the court.

I’ve realized now that less is more for me sometimes. I work really intensely and really hard and can definitely be partial to overkilling it sometimes. It’s just making sure when I’m on the court I’m maxing out for X amount of time so I can focus, and then once I’m done, I’m switching off better. You hear a lot that people need matches, and I say the same thing. Matches definitely help, but there’s a time and a place. There are other times where you just need to reset and get your bearings because the season is very long.

Emma Raducanu said via Sky Sports

Raducanu is set to feature at the Madrid for the second consecutive year. The World No.49 exited in the first round of the WTA 1000 tournament last year. She will hope to get beyond that stage of the event this time around.

Emma Raducanu is excited about working on aspects of her game at the Madrid Open

Emma Raducanu was part of the early arrivals at the Madrid Open. The British star has taken a three-week break from tennis and is expected to fly high with her temporary new coach, Mark Petchey, and long-time confidant, Jane O’Donoghue, at the tournament. When asked during the aforementioned interview, how the training session has been, she revealed she’s happy and feeling well on the court.

Emma Raducanu Miami Open 2025
Emma Raducanu (via X @JJlovesTennis)

I’m happy with [the training block] and how I’m feeling on the court right now. I think I did some great work on my game and I’m looking forward to testing it on a match court. We created our own little bubble and it was nice to be working on my game out there but at the same time having fun and enjoying it.

Emma Raducanu said

Andy Murray’s ex-coach, Petchey, is in a bit of a unique situation as he works for Tennis Channel and is a top figure of their coverage. That would ultimately not allow him to be a permanent coach of Raducanu.

Emma Raducanu faces a tough draw at the Madrid Open

Emma Raducanu played only six matches on clay last season and struggled to be effective on the surface. She arrived at the Madrid Open with a reminder of her last year’s outing when she was defeated by Maria Lourdes Carle in the first round and did not further play any clay tournament after that.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu (Image via X/Cancha Central)

She will be hoping that it doesn’t repeat itself this year as she has a lot of ranking points to claim this season. The 22-year-old will open her account at the 2025 Madrid Open against World No.69 Suzan Lamens. If she does well to beat the Dutch star, she could face World No.24 Marta Kostyuk in the second round.

A potential contest against No.9 seed Paula Badosa could await Raducanu in the third round if she gets that far. However, just reaching that stage will be the best run of her career at the Madrid Open.