Raducanu Admits To Fatigue After 86-Minute First-Round Win In Stuttgart

Thursday, 18 April 2024 at 12:30

byZachary Wimer

Emma Raducanu won comfortably in the first round of the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, taking less than 90 minutes, but she also felt fatigued after the match.

The Brit continued her excellent clay performances recently by adding a third consecutive win on the surface. She played her first match on the surface at the Billie Jean King Cup over the weekend, when she won two crucial matches for her country, sending it to the Finals.

Then she played her first match at the Porshe Tennis Grand Prix, and it was a strong showing against veteran Angelique Kerber, who was easily overmatched by Raducanu in 86 minutes.

The Brit looked amazing, dictating the rallies, but she's also feeling some fatigue. Raducanu hasn't had many winning streaks in the past months, so her body is not quite used to such a workload.

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"Yeah, I think I'm not -- I know this week is obviously a challenge for me, because, like, I would be lying if I said I wasn't tired, but I would way rather be in this position where I have played a lot of matches and I'm feeling fatigued than being super fresh and losing. It's funny, because you always want something that you can't have."

Obviously, things will get better in the coming weeks as she plays more tennis. Sometimes, athletes just have to power through the fatigue because the tennis season is very long, and they feel tired many times over the months.

The more important thing for Raducanu is that she's feeling really confident in her tennis and playing at a really high level.

"But I am playing some really good tennis. I feel like I'm a lot more dominant in my service games. I feel like I'm playing level-wise, I knew it before I went to Fed Cup even, like, training, I was playing really well. I think everyone that I was practicing with can attest to that too."