Emma Raducanu reveals the reason for her poor outing at Indian Wells 2022 as the US Open champion’s poor run continues


Emma Raducanu reveals the reason for her poor outing at Indian Wells 2022 as the US Open champion’s poor run continues

Emma Raducanu

World No. 13 Emma Raducanu can’t catch a break. Ever since she has won the 2021 US Open and has had limelight on her throughout, the teenager has not seen success on the court as much she and her fans would have liked after her heroics at the Flushing Meadows a few months back.

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Emma is 4-7 since she became a Grand Slam champion and has not won more than two matches on the trot since she reached the quarter-finals at the 2021 Transylvania Open. The Brit has also suffered multiple injury issues that have kept her behind her colleagues in terms of matches won and getting good results on the Tour.

After her 3-set win over Caroline Garcia in her second-round match at the 2022 Indian Wells Open, Emma lost to Petra Martic in another 3-set battle with Martic defeating Raducanu 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5. After her defeat, Emma revealed some shocking details about her fitness issues that affected her performance in the Tennis Paradise.

“I think it’s just part of not playing and having so much stop-start and having five, six days to prepare for matches and then playing at that intensity. It was a tough one not being able to serve full out so I was having to work so hard just to hold. I’ve just got to get stronger. I’ve had it (stiff back) for the last few days, just a product of training hard and probably the last match was pretty intense too and it didn’t settle down.

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“When you are crossing your fingers to hold serve every time, it’s tough. I couldn’t really drive up and I was kind of struggling to turn and reach. The margins were so small,” said Emma during her press conference after her exit from the Indian Wells.

Emma Raducanu’s struggles with fitness

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu

Emma first burst onto the scene at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships when she reached the 4th round ranked outside the Top-300 as a wildcard entrant becoming the youngest British woman to reach the Round of 16. She however had to forfeit the game after having breathing issues which were later said to be panic attacks as the inexperienced schoolgirl was playing on a packed Center Court.

Emma also told that she was ill during her run at the Transylvania Open last year. At the 2022 Australian Open, Emma had just recovered from Covid-19 with which she was infected just before Christmas. The player lost in the 2nd round of the Slam but later revealed that she had blisters on her palm that made holding the racquet also difficult for her.

With a hip injury forcing her out from the tournament in Guadalajara last month, the Brit was doubtful for the Indian Wells but she made a good recovery to return to action. However, with a stiff back, she had to see the exit again quite early in the tournament. Emma is likely to play at the 2022 Miami Open that begins in a week’s time giving her enough time to assess her back and be ready for another big event.

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