Former player Mark Petchey has voiced support for Emma Raducanu on her comeback journey, claiming that the naysayers won't have much to say soon.
The British player is currently on a comeback Tour after missing much of last year due to injuries. All three surgeries went well for her, and after many months, she declared herself fully fit ahead of this season.
The level she has shown Down Under was competitive, though nothing special. That's expected as most tennis players need a bit of time to find their best tennis.
With every match she plays, Raducanu is getting closer and closer to her goal, which she talked about a few times since returning to the sport.
Former player Petchey thinks that Raducanu will get there sooner rather than later, and then the naysayers won't have anything negative to say about her.
"The naysayers won’t have a lot longer to be negative about Emma Raducanu. Better fill your boots before she is back in the business ends of most events."
Raducanu has had many naysayers since winning the US Open a few years ago. Many called it a fluke and something she wouldn't be able to do again. Her injury struggles only fueled this narrative as a 'one-hit wonder.'
The best way to dispel this is, of course, to win a big trophy again and become a Top 10 regular. It's not unlikely for her because her win in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi Open certainly proves that she still has a lot of good tennis in her, so it's not unrealistic to think that she could win a big trophy again.
The crucial part for her is to remain healthy and to play as much as possible because she hasn't played all that much in recent years. That's the problem.