Seven-time major champion John McEnroe believes Emma Raducanu can achieve great things in tennis as she prepares to return to the US Open for the first time since her stunning triumph.
The Brit remarkably won the Flushing Meadows event - just her second Grand Slam appearance - without dropping a set at just 18 years of age, becoming the first qualifier to win a major title with her 6-4 6-3 win over fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez in the final. Raducanu also became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade triumphed at Wimbledon back in 1977.
McEnroe was renowned for his foul-mouthed antics on the court, and he has remained as outspoken as ever since transitioning to the commentary booth. The 63-year-old has been a harsh critic of Raducanu since she burst onto the scene, often questioning her mental fortitude.
However, the three-time Wimbledon champion believes it is foolish to not respect Raducanu and her abilities as a player. At an event to promote his new biopic, McEnroe said: “Don’t ask if Raducanu is going to be a good player because she is already a great player. No one wins a major if they are not a great player and hopefully, she has belief, but a lot has changed for her since then.”
Raducanu has not been able to replicate the sensational form of last summer, where she stormed to the US Open title in style. She has also endured horrible luck with injuries, which have often derailed her performances when she finds momentum in her game.
McEnroe has not met the Brit yet, but he hopes he get the chance to soon as he is a fan of her game. He hopes everything clicks for Raducanu soon.
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“I”m not close to her,” McEnroe added. “In fact, as a matter of fact, I’ve never spoken to her. I hope to have the opportunity soon because she is obviously a breath of fresh air. She is a very sweet girl, a beautiful girl and plays great tennis. What’s not to like?
“It has been hard to watch her struggling. But I don’t know if she needs time. She needs the right stability and people around her and I don’t know what’s going on there.
“You don’t go through a tournament where you don’t lose a single set and beat some of the top female players and not be a great player.”
Raducanu has been the target of several media barrages in her career as expectations rose dramatically following her monumental US Open win. McEnroe believes she is criticised far too harshly for someone of her age who is a Grand Slam champion - and it is something the American can sympathise with.
“I got this to a fairly significant degree in the late 1970s and early 80s and it got to the stage that I thought if I ever win Wimbledon I’m never coming back, to hell with these people,” McEnroe concluded. “It so happened when I won it first the first time that I felt I could fly out of the stadium because the high was so great and I thought maybe I want to come back.
“It may be worse for her [Raducanu] because she is living it day in, day out. But I am pulling for her. We all are. Maybe she can use that to her advantage somehow.”
The 2022 US Open main draw begins on Monday August 29 and runs for two weeks in New York.
