Emma Raducanu won't play at this year's Olympics, and she was questioned about it during her stay in Washington, where she will play this upcoming week.
The Brit is one of the more prominent tennis players who isn't playing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her decision to withdraw was curious because she never played at the Olympics.
There were some players who played at the Olympic Games before and withdrew this year to focus on other things, such as injury recover or their career on the ATP or WTA Tour.
Raducanu, however, was fully healthy and could have played at her first Olympics, but she opted against it. It was a very interesting decision that was dissected up and down, not only by pundits but also by her Billie Jean King Cup teammates.
She talked about the reasons as well and did so again during her stay in Washington, where she'll play next week at the WTA 500 tournament. Instead of Paris, Raducanu went to D.C., where she will play at the Citi Open in what will be an early preparation for the US Open.
Raducanu wasn't keen to go back to clay for only one week because it would have put her body under a lot of strain. She admitted that there is a little bit of a 'fear of missing out' when it comes to the Olympic experience, but overall, she was happy with the decision she made.
"Yeah, I would say for me, staying on one surface is important. The change of surface isn't the best thing for me right now. In the future, maybe it would have been. At this moment in time, I think switching to clay straight after grass, it's such a big contrast, then back onto the hard courts, I didn't want to risk anything."
"For me this option was just a lot better. Of course, there are elements of FOMO, missing out. Watching the Olympic ceremony, everybody in the team kits, a part of you obviously wants to be there and representing your country. I think when I think big picture, long-term, it's the right call."
She was also asked whether she would have played if the Olympics had been played on a different surface. It's an interesting question, and likely, a lot more players would have played if the Games had been played on hard courts.
Raducanu didn't confirm that she would have played, dodging the question, but there is a solid chance that it would have impacted her decision. That's all speculative, and the reality is that she won't play in Paris but at the Citi Open instead.
"No, I mean, had the Olympics been on a different surface, then I don't know. It's obviously something that every athlete wants to be a part of. I had to think longer term. Hopefully, I'll have more Olympics in my career."
"I think coming here was 100% the right option. For immediate gratification, playing the Olympics would have been nice. But long-term perspective, long-term health, coming here... Also I love this tournament."
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