Emma Raducanu has been lambasted by former US Open winner Kim Clijsters after her approach to the US Open.
Raducanu crashed out of the US Open in disappointing fashion after losing in the first round to Sofia Kenin.
Emma Raducanu has been lambasted by former US Open winner Kim Clijsters after her approach to the US Open.
Raducanu crashed out of the US Open in disappointing fashion after losing in the first round to Sofia Kenin.
In her post-match press conference, the 21-year-old was reduced to tears and admitted that she should have played more tennis in the build-up to the Flushing Meadows tournament.
Raducanu decided to snub qualifying events in Canada and Cincinnati, something that has been criticised by many.
That includes two first-round defeats, as well as missing out on last year’s competition as she underwent surgery.
Speaking on his podcast, former tennis star Andy Roddick suggested that she had got her scheduling wrong while Clijsters hit out at Raducanu and her team.
“There’s two things that I think could be the reason,” the former world No. 1 said
“It’s either maybe not having the right people around you who kind of guide you and say, ‘Okay, this is important to you like the scheduling, building enough weeks off in between, like training blocks to improve, to mentally switch off.’
“Or is it her? Is there other things going on mentally where she’s kind of just had it with media, pressure… whatever it is.
“It’s only those two things that could be the cause.
“I don’t know enough about her. I don’t know her personally.
“I don’t know her team, I really don’t know much about that whole situation.
“I’m sorry but if you have a team of coaches around you or whoever is in charge, there’s obviously some misguidance there.”
Raducanu had skipped the Olympics in Paris over the summer to avoid any injury troubles, which appeared to be the right choice after reaching the Washington quarter-final.
However, she then did not take to the court again until the US Open, proving costly as she was swept aside by Kenin 6-1 3-6 6-4.
The Briton said: “Yeah, I would have preferred to probably play, a little bit more before coming into the US Open.
“You know, I know when I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good.
“You feel like everything’s automatic. So yeah, I think I can learn from it. And you know manage my schedule slightly differently.”
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