Emma Raducanu fires back at critics after Brit warned fellow players are losing ‘respect’

Australian Open: Webster unimpressed by Raducanu's defeat

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

British tennis star Emma Raducanu has fired back at her critics, after being warned that her fellow players are losing ‘respect’ for her. Raducanu endured another difficult week on tour, after being dumped out of the Miami Open in her first match against Katerina Siniakova.

Raducanu no doubt rose to fame last year, after she took the tennis world by storm to become the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam at the US Open in New York. Since then the Brit has endured somewhat of an underwhelming run on the WTA Tour.

As a result she has won just two matches in five tournaments in 2022, and only four in eight events since her triumph at Flushing Meadows. This run has led to her receiving some criticism, including from former world No. 5 Daniela Hantuchova.

Discussing the teenager’s recent defeat Hantuchova said: “That was a tough one for Emma. I think it is going to hurt big time because of the chances she had. She was the better player for most of it. Siniakova is a great fighter and she showed why she has won all the big titles in doubles – she is not afraid of the big names. But the thing is now with Emma, everyone wants to beat her. Everyone is trying to figure out how to play against her.”

JUST IN: Novak Djokovic left in limbo over US Open as New York mayor makes controversial decision

She went on to add that she believes her fellow WTA stars are losing ‘respect’ following her poor run: “All the locker room respect she had after the US Open is now kind of going away which is a shame. It is going to be important now for Emma to regroup, rethink what she has to change and get out there on the practice court.”

As well as her form on the court, Raducanu has also received backlash for her work off it, including from England Rugby Union coach Eddie Jones, who insinuated the teenager was too focused on commercial ‘distractions’ rather than her playing exploits. Despite all of this, Raducanu has now hit back.

Speaking after her exit in Miami, Raducanu has labelled the criticism ‘unfair’. She said: “I think that it is unfair, but it’s something that I have learnt to deal with more and become a bit more insensitive to the outside noise. At the end of the day I feel like my days [with sponsors] are pretty limited. 

DON’T MISS
Nick Kyrgios fights off injury worry to blow Andrey Rublev away in superb Miami Open win
Brooksby apologises for Miami outburst after Kyrgios and Zverev remark
Cam Norrie wins battle of the Brits against Jack Draper in Miami Open

“I’m not even doing crazy days. I’m doing three to four days every quarter [in total], so it’s really not that much. I’m doing these things, but I’m training hard, putting the hours in and, especially now, I feel like I just need to get more volume and more capacity. I am doing a lot and I’m spending a lot of time at the club.”

Following the backlash, the 19-year-old admitted she has been learning to ‘thicken her skin’ in order to deal with the critics. She added: “In the beginning I probably would occasionally peek at what’s being said. But now I don’t really bother doing that, because I know that I’m gonna get a lot of [messages]. Sometimes it’s not going to be so favourable or positive and I feel like it can get to you, but I’m just learning to thicken my skin a bit.”

Source: Read Full Article