Emma Raducanu doesn't endure from a scarcity of focus due to her endorsement commitments, regardless of struggling a drop-off in outcomes following her US Open triumph. That's the view of former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli who took the chance in a latest interview to spring to the 20-year-old British tennis star's defence.

Raducanu burst into the highlight as a youngster in 2021 when she grew to become the primary qualifier in historical past to win a Grand Slam title after clinching the ladies's US Open singles title towards Leylah Fernandez at Flushing Meadows with out dropping a single set in the whole match.

By July 2022, she reached a career-high rating of world quantity 10, however has suffered a serious drop-off since, failing to win any ATP tour occasions within the 18 months since her gorgeous New York success. Currently injured since March, she is going to miss this week's French Open and Wimbledon however is concentrating on a return to motion as quickly as doable.

Poor kind and damage have seen Raducanu fall out of the highest 100, dropping 96 locations in 10 months. During that hunch, the younger star has been pressured to endure social media abuse and criticism from pundits, with some citing her many model affiliation offers for a scarcity of give attention to the courtroom.

But Bartoli, who gained her solely Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2013, earlier than retiring from the game two months later, has provided up Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams as examples of legendary gamers who constructed their very own enterprise empires while nonetheless performing to the very highest stage on the similar time.

And Bartoli stays satisfied that there isn't a motive why Raducanu can't emulate their success and do the identical herself, supplied she is given extra time to regulate to being within the highlight after profitable a Slam at such a younger age.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, Bartoli mentioned: "She has so many more years ahead of her and if she can get her body ready, I don't think there is a lack of focus. Of course, there are endorsements but Maria Sharapova had a lot of endorsements but she was extremely focused throughout her career and Serena Williams was the same.

"Players can have numerous endorsements, however they're capable of deal that, in order that's not the difficulty for Emma. She did not have the time to get herself mentally and bodily able to cope with the whole lot that is been thrown at her since she gained that Grand Slam, however it doesn't suggest she will not be prepared. It simply requires barely extra time. Give her time and she or he shall be advantageous."

Soon after her US Open success, Raducanu parted company with coach Andrew Richardson and is now coached by German Sebastian Sachs.

Bartoli feels that Raducanu's eventual return from injury will be like starting her tennis career all over again, with 2023 something of a lost cause, but the retired Frenchwoman belives that the British number one can be a force again, providing she is surrounded by the right people.

Bartoli said: "She might virtually have to begin another time however I'm certain she will do it, I'm certain she's prepared for that. But she has to construct a group round her that believes in what she's doing and believes in getting her again into the highest 10.

"Maybe 2023 is almost finished for her, but she has to use that for a build-up to 2024 and go and target the Grand Slams and the Olympics."