Emma Raducanu makes unhappy US Open confession as she opens up on struggles

Jun 18, 2023 at 11:28 AM

Emma Raducanu has revealed that she has moments the place she has regretted successful the US Open throughout her struggles since her shock victory in New York. And the previous British No.1 admitted she has an “obsessive personality” and used to undergo “a day of mourning” after defeats.

Raducanu will miss Wimbledon and the US Open this yr after present process surgical procedures on her wrists and ankle. And the Bromley-based star, 20, has slowly slipped outdoors the world’s prime 100 after reaching the highest 10 final summer season as a result of accidents and lack of kind. She has additionally cut up with coach Sebastian Sachs – her fifth full-time coach in two years.

Speaking to the Sunday Times Style journal, Raducanu mentioned: “That second on the court docket, after I was celebrating, I used to be like, I’d actually commerce any battle on the planet for this second. Anything can come my means, I’ll take it for what I’ve proper now as a result of that is the perfect factor on the planet. I promised myself that, on the court docket that day. Since then I’ve had lots of setbacks, one after the opposite.

“I am resilient, my tolerance is high, but it’s not easy. And sometimes I think to myself I wish I’d never won the US Open, I wish that didn’t happen. Then I am like, remember that feeling, remember that promise, because it was completely pure.” Raducanu, who had been ranked world No.150, became the first qualifier to ever win a Major at the age of 18.

“I had to mature very quickly,” she added. “When I won I was extremely naive. What I have realised in the past two years, the tour and everything that comes with it, it’s not a very nice, trusting and safe space. You have to be on guard because there are a lot of sharks out there.

“I think people in the industry, especially with me because I was 19, now 20, they see me as a piggy bank. It has been difficult to navigate. I have been burnt a few times. I have learnt, keep your circle as small as possible.” Raducanu played Wimbledon last year assisted by LTA coach before hiring Russian Dmitry Tursanov for her US Open title defence which ended in the first round. Tursanov left after a trial period in October claiming there were “red flags” which prevented him taking the job on a everlasting foundation.

Talking about her injuries, Raducanu revealed: “The ache escalated final summer season after Wimbledon. I began with a brand new coach and I used to be actually motivated to get going. We had been overtraining, lots of repetition, and I carried on even via ache as a result of I did not need to be perceived as weak. I used to be battling the bodily ache however the psychological aspect of it was actually troublesome for me too.

“I always want to put forward the best version of myself, or strive for that, but I knew I couldn’t. I very much attach my self-worth to my achievements. If I lost a match I would be really down, I would have a day of mourning, literally staring at the wall. I feel things so passionately and intensely.”

And she admitted: “I have an obsessive personality in that I fixate on something and I need to get it. I’ve been very high and very low, I’ve never really had this equilibrium, which is what I am striving for. I don’t think it is bad mentally to take a break, reset and get really hungry for it again.”