Emma Raducanu's tennis trajectory has been greatly hampered by injuries since her shock title at the 2021 U.S. Open, so much so that even John McEnroe is showing compassion for the prospect.
British No. 1 Raducanu stormed onto the elite tennis scene with a whirlwind win at Flushing Meadows almost 18 months ago, at which point McEnroe had already put himself on her radar. The seven-time major-winner was pilloried for comments he made at Wimbledon 2021 when he suggested the occasion "got a bit too much" for Raducanu following her fourth-round withdrawal against Ajla Tomljanovic.
McEnroe, 63, doubled down on those remarks following Raducanu's victory over Leylah Fernandez in New York two months later and said he 'meant exactly what he said.' However, an injury-strewn past 12 months have been enough to convince the commentator of a softer stance, sympathising more with the 20-year-old's travails.
“I think the last year has been overwhelming, obviously,” McEnroe told Tennis365 as he looked back on her first full season as a WTA pro. “She has gone through a lot of changes in her life and now she has had issues with injuries.”
Raducanu's 2023 Grand Slam calendar kicked off with a straight-sets defeat to Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open, matching her 2022 debut in Melbourne. It seemed like a miracle the Briton even featured Down Under after rolling her ankle in Auckland 11 days prior to the first major of the year.
“But it felt like for the first time the pressure was not on her and was on Coco Gauff when they played at the Australian Open and that is not a bad thing," McEnroe continued. “Everyone in the tennis world is hopeful that she can embrace what’s happening with her and hope that she gets back to the level she showed at the U.S. Open.”
Back, hip, wrist and abdominal injuries have forced Raducanu to miss playing time at one point or another over the past 12 months or so, while she's also been sidelined by blister issues at times. Moreover, her constantly changing coach situation hasn't helped attain consistency, having linked up with current mentor Sebastian Sachs at the end of 2022.
The adjustment to pro life isn't a straightforward matter for most players, but Raducanu's transition has been more tumultuous than most thanks to that fairytale 2021. Past criticisms or not, however, McEnroe asserted he only wishes to see the youngster excel in the sport.
“I saw her at Wimbledon that summer and when she didn’t come out to play in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, we were all worried she might struggle to cope with the change to her life," said the German-born veteran. "Then she went to New York and wow, what a performance to win a Slam.
“We just all want to see her compete and enjoy the challenge in front of her and if she does that, I’m sure she can have a great year. That’s what we all want to see.
