“Learn from Rafael Nadal” Former British Pro advises Emma Raducanu to take consistency and mindset lessons from the Spaniard
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Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu‘s difficulties to adjust to life on Tour continue as she fails to clear the early rounds of the tournaments. Having shocked the world in September last year when she won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier ranked 150th in the world, the Brit has not managed to put in another great performance with her best result since then coming in the 2021 Transylvania Open when she reached the quarter-finals.
As difficult the life has been on the Tour, the Brit has also had some bad luck along with her. She tested positive for Covid-19 just before Christmas last year and has had fitness issues as well. She lost in her season opener in Sydney, failed to cross the 2nd round at the 2022 Australian Open and then had to retire due to a hip injury in the first round in Guadalajara having played the longest WTA match of the season so far.
Emma is currently 1-3 for the season and 3-6 since she won the US Open and slowly questions have been started arising whether the teenager can sustain the difficulties of the Tour life as players usually play 2 or 3 events every month depending on the tournament schedule and WTA calendar.
“If you look at the history of the sport, the very, very top players in those key years, between 18-22, very few of them change coaches. They have that consistent coach for that period of time. Emma needs a constant message. You don’t get lucky to win a US Open at 18-year-old in the way she did, but there shouldn’t be pressure. There shouldn’t be pressure for Emma to do well at the French Open or Indian Wells or Miami.
“Right now, she’s not a top 16 level. She’s not top 20 level or top 30 level at the moment – that will come. If she’s judging herself on not making the third round at those tournaments as a failure, I think that’s a very dangerous mindset for her to be in. Just work hard, go for that Rafa mentality – ‘process’. Work hard and good things will happen,” said former British tennis player Barry Cowan currently working as an analyst for Skysports.
Emma Raducanu doubtful for Indian Wells
Having already decided to withdraw from the 2022 Monterrey Open due to her hip injury, Emma’s chances at playing at the WTA-1000 Indian Wells Open 2022 are in doubt. Emma made her debut at the tournament in 2021 but lost to then World No. 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich in what was her first match since she won the US Open.
Emma however has more than a week to recover and prepare for the Indian Wells that begins on 9th March and will have 1000 points to offer, something that could boost Emma’s chances to break into the Top-10 having already reached the 12th spot last week but is now currently on the 13th spot due to her early exit in Guadalajara.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)