“Clay is going to be my surface” Emma Raducanu excited to taste the clay on Tour
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Emma Raducanu
World No. 12 Emma Raducanu will finally make her debut in a claycourt event when she plays in the 2022 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix also known as the Stuttgart Open. Emma is seeded 8th in the tournament and it will be her 6th tournament of the season on the Tour while also having played in the 2022 BJK Cup Qualifiers.
Her debut in the BJK Cup meant that Emma was on Clay for the first time as a Pro and won on her debut but failed to capture consecutive wins yet again. Raducanu later revealed that during her defeat to Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Marketa Vondrousova, she had blisters on her feet and was forced to have limited movements on the court thus resulting in her hammering where she won only 1 game each in the two sets.
As she prepares for her Tour clay debut, she talked about her nerves and plans for the surface. Having already displayed her brilliance on the grass and hardcourts, similar results are expected from the 19-year old and she is also eager to prove her worth on the new surface.
“It’s going to be an exciting clay season. I’m not sure how it is going to go. I keep telling everyone around me that one day clay is going to be my surface and I still believe that. I think game-wise on clay, especially when you’re playing outside, you definitely need to be a lot more patient and build the point. You can’t just hit a big shot. Whereas on a hard court, you might be able to get a weak shot straight away. You really need to build the point a lot more, which takes a lot more energy and physical demand.
“You just have to be more crafty, I think, and I think it’s a good lesson, especially for someone younger like me to develop more skills. I’m looking forward to spending more time on the clay as the years go by because I do like sliding and moving on it, and it’s just about again being able to repeat over and over,” said Raducanu during her interview with the WTA Insider.
Tricky affair for Emma Raducanu in the Stuttgart opener
Raducanu will start her campaign against the current World No. 197 Storm Sanders who enters the main-draw as a qualifier. Sanders has been a decent player in the doubles but the same cant be said about her singles record so far and it could be a blessing in disguise for Emma. Although the two have earlier played in the lower tiers of the Tour, it will be their first Clay meeting and Emma will look for a win on her debut.
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Sarthak Shitole
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