“She is going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Monica Puig backs Emma Raducanu for more Grand Slam wins despite recent struggles
Puig says that Raducanu can win more Grand Slams, she will be part of the new generation to carry the torch forwarde
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Monica Puig and Emma Raducanu (via Getty Images)
Monica Puig, who in Rio 2016 became the first Puerto Rican to ever win Olympic gold, cautioned that social media is a “toxic” atmosphere, particularly for a young tennis player like Emma Raducanu. The young British woman shocked the sport by winning in Flushing Meadows in 2021 as an 18-year-old qualifier, but she has subsequently had difficulty advancing in her career.
The British player‘s immediate objectives are to gradually move back up the rankings and accumulate more match victories as she begins her sophomore season at No 80 in the globe. The Olympic gold medallist also gave Raducanu encouragement when she said she would undoubtedly be able to win major tournaments again in the future.
Puig also gave advice on how to assess opponents and take the pressure off, as she won a Grand Slam at such a young age. The enormous pressure from the public and other expectations have to be eradicated. Puig also advised Raducanu to take baby steps in order to regain her form and perform much better.
“Not necessarily big ones because she won that Grand Slam title, but she hasn’t been able to string many results together in a row. Let go of the expectation after winning a Grand Slam.”
Raducanu needs to focus on keeping a winning streak and then take small steps towards the end goal.“First it’s small goals so quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals consistently of 250 events…See your opponents. What are they doing to you? Where are the holes in my game and start filling in those holes by practising more on those things. It can take the pressure off her back.”
Also read: “I put myself under a lot of pressure,” Garbine Muguruza reflects on a difficult 2022 season
Monica Puig believes Emma Raducanu can still win more Grand Slams
Puig is one of those people who believe that Raducanu is not a one-hit-wonder. The 20-year-old is, according to the player, going to win more major titles. She contributed the fact to Emma’s youth and said that it only a ‘matter of time’.
“Absolutely! She’s still young. It’s a matter of time. We’re always seeing generational changes with so players like myself and Serena Williams having now stepped away. The new generation that’s going to come and carry the torch for the future generation.“
The Puerto Rican also stated that Raducanu will achieve great success and be in the elite circles of tennis. The only missing piece for Raducanu was to lift the weight off her shoulders and remove all expectations. It is important for her to remember the reason she started playing and keep that in her mind moving forward. “…She already did something that not many people can do. Remember the reason why you started playing tennis in the first place. It’s because of the love of the sport.”
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)