Former world No 1 highlights ‘next benchmark’ for Emma Raducanu after breakthrough season

Emma Raducanu plays a shot

Former world No 1 Andy Roddick has weighed in on Emma Raducanu’s sudden success and believes she will struggle with expectations put on her next season.

The 19-year-old British sensation not only shocked the tennis world but the entire sporting world when she won the US Open in September.

She beat Laylah Fernandez without dropping a single set but she hasn’t been able to stay consistent with her winning form, defeating only two opponents since that infamous win.

In her final event of the year, the teenager failed to make it past the first round at the Linz Open as she was beaten by Chinese Wang Xinyu.

For her to establish herself properly in the world of tennis, Roddick would like to see her perform more consistently.

“The hardest thing in sport in my opinion is expectation,” revealed the American on Tennis Channel Live.

“What she did at the US Open was unbelievable but it was largely without the expectation of ‘if you don’t win this final it’s bad for you’, it was all gravy from the third round on for her, without taking anything away from her.

“That would be the next benchmark if I am on her team, getting the consistency dialled in so that our baseline is top 20 in the world and our upper echelon is what you did at the US Open, which we were all amazed by.”

Raducanu will play her last match of the season on November 28 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

It will be an exhibition match against Elena-Gabriela Ruse which will be the first time they’ll be playing each other competitively.

It’ll also be the first appearance Raducanu will make on court in Britain since her US Open win.

Additionally it’s the first game the 19-year-old will play under the guidance of her new coach Torben Beltz who was appointed at the beginning of November.

 

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