Is Emma Raducanu’s career on the line due to surgery?
Boris Becker believes that Emma Raducanu’s recent surgeries have left her career hanging in the balance.
Becker warned that players often struggle to recover from major operations to repair injuries.
He feels that she is a good enough player to come back and win Grand Slams but feels that her injury woes might not be over.
“The surgeries that she has had are, in my opinion, career-threatening,” Becker told the Guardian.
“Having surgery on your playing wrist, and as a two-handed player, the other wrist – and then on your ankle – is tough to bear for a young woman.”
Becker feels that Raducanu put a target on her back with her incredible 2021 US Open title run.
“Tennis is a completely different game when you go into court and you have nothing to lose,” he added.
“Anybody can play then. It’s a whole different sport when you become the hunted.”
Raducanu’s sudden increase in workload proved difficult for the young player and she battled to build momentum due to the frequent injuries.
It is not clear when Raducanu will return to action but it seems that this will be a case of trying to ensure that problems do not resurface.
She has shown only glimpses of her Flushing Meadows 2021 form since that tournament and her struggles have made her the subject of much discussion in tennis media and across social channels, compounding her physical issues.
Becker was wary over overdoing conjecture regarding the career and future of Raducanu without inside insights.
“I’m not in her inner circle so I don’t know all the things that went off, although I’ve seen the coaching changes [Raducanu has had three new coaches since winning the US Open].
“But as a young woman, all of a sudden being on top of the mountain, you have to really dig in and find the resources and the team around you to guide you through the next 10 years.
“Its about mindset and talent, team, approach and circumstances. She’s not the first one who wasn’t able to do it. And she won’t be the last. But if she was good enough to win a Grand Slam once, she’s good enough to win one again.
“And yeah, there are a couple of people – but not many – who could help her. But, first of all, she has to be ready for it. Her parents have to be ready for it. And if that’s not the case, then nobody can help.”
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