Emma Raducanu angered many fans by withdrawing from her mixed doubles match with Andy Murray at the 2024 Wimbledon, but she spoke about the decision after her most recent match.
Raducanu was supposed to play mixed doubles with Murray on Saturday, but the Brit pulled out several hours before the match. This was a shocking development because it ended Murray's Wimbledon career instantly, as he was already out in the men's doubles.
Many fans were disappointed by the news, but Raducanu had legitimate reasons to do so. She felt soreness in her wrist, which is not something that she wanted to play with.
Raducanu already had surgery, and that's the tone she struck after her loss to Lulu Sun the following day. During the press conference, the 2021 US Open champion admitted that she had to prioritize herself and her body, calling the decision the 'right one.'
"I have to prioritize myself, my singles, and my body. I think it was the right decision. Yeah, obviously, it was a tough decision, though, because it's something that I've always wanted to do."
Raducanu then further elaborated on the fact that it ended Murray's Wimbledon career, confirming that she wasn't trying to take away that last match from him, but she had to do what had to be done.
Ultimately, most players would do the same, according to Raducanu, and she certainly isn't wrong. We've seen the same situation happen in the past when Steffi Graf made a similar decision.
"Of course, I didn't want to take his last match away from him. But at the end of the day, I think a lot of the players in a similar situation would have done the same thing, prioritizing their bodies. I think with every decision, people are entitled to their opinions."
"I think going into the tournament, I wasn't expecting to make the fourth round. So for me, it was a no-brainer. I would have loved to have played. He didn't ask me 'If you're still in the singles, are you going to play?'. That was never a question to be answered. Given how I woke up yesterday morning, it was for me a no-brainer."
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