Emma Raducanu spoke about the mental struggles she’s faced since winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier, which made her an overnight star. She did not lose a set throughout her stay at Flushing Meadows and won the final by defeating Leylah Fernández 6-4, 6-3. This made her the first player in history (male and female) to win a Grand Slam in qualifying.
However, since that lonely moment Grand Slam victory, Raducanu was the center of attraction. While fans expect her to shine at every event she attends, critics are ready to bring out the knife after the Brit’s failures. The intensity of the criticism was such that the Briton regrets never having won this title. Raducanu, now 20, has often been the subject of public scrutiny due to her lack of form, dropping out mid-match and also frequent changes of coach. The girl explained how difficult it was for her to deal with criticism at a time when her body was not listening to her.
This is why the Briton criticized them: “the Sharks» who continually attack her for her failure even though she doesn’t know much about her injuries. She called on people in the tennis industry to view her as a “piggy bank“.
“When I won, I was extremely naiveRaducanu told the Sunday Times. “What I’ve realized over the last couple of years, the tour and everything that goes with it, it’s not a very nice, confident, safe space. You have to be vigilant because there are a lot of sharks. I think people in the industry, especially with me because I was 19, now 20, see me as a piggy bank.“
Emma Raducanu thinks the tennis tour is completely brutal
Emma Raducanu has not been able to advance past the second round of a Grand Slam event since the US Open 2021. The 20-year-old recently underwent surgeries on both hands and her ankle and therefore missed the 2023 edition. French Open. Raducanu expected to miss 2023 Wimbledon Championship too.
The Briton said that despite her injuries, she still had to play throughout the match to avoid being seen as “weak”. She touched on the subject of the other side of fame, which has a huge impact on mental health.
“It was difficult to navigate. I have been burned several times. I learned: keep your circle as small as possible. And then being scrutinized when they don’t know what’s going on.
“I’m very young and I’m still learning and making mistakes. It’s much more difficult when you make mistakes in front of everyone and everyone has a say. The tour is completely brutal,” she added.
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