Former ATP player Tim Henman rushed to Emma Raducanu's defense after her early exit from the 2024 US Open, explaining how she battled well against a world-class opponent.
Henman was an excellent tennis player at his time, and after his playing career, he turned into an analyst and pundit. The British analyst has followed Raducanu very closely since witnessing her US Open win in 2021.
After making the Citi Open quarter-final, Raducanu was confident heading into the US Open. She looked good and anticipated a solid showing as well. However, the draw wasn't great for her because she had to face Sofia Kenin, a really quality player.
The American has had a terrible year so far, but, as Henman pointed out, she is a really quality player. Just because a player has struggled doesn't mean that, at a certain moment, they can't find a really high level.
That's exactly what happened in the match, as Kenin completely outplayed Raducanu in three sets. It was a battle Raducanu wasn't quite ready for. Not playing for a full month hurt her in this match, something she acknowledged herself after the match.
Speaking on Eurosport, Henman defended Raducanu after her most recent disappointing effort, pointing out that her game is still trending in the right direction and that she is still learning.
"This is still all part of a learning journey. She has reflected now and said she came in a little underdone and needed a few more matches. To miss that chunk of Canada and Cincinnati… Perhaps she will do things differently next time."
"I still think her game is moving in the right direction. There are elements she can do better. This is not the last we are going to see of Emma Raducanu."
Some questioned Raducanu's choice not to play for over a month ahead of the US Open. Raducanu had a chance to play in Cincinnati, but that option included bonus matches in the form of qualifiers.
She wasn't keen on that, opting to go back home and prepare there, which ultimately proved costly. For Henman, the most important part was that she looked very good when she played.
In fairness, this early exit is one of her worst losses this year, as she's generally been able to cruise in the early rounds.
"It’s been a rebuilding process after the surgeries. When she’s played, she’s played very well. It was a big chunk of the summer to miss. But she is learning all the time. Fingers crossed she is going to have many more opportunities in the future."
Raducanu will surely play a few more events until the end of the year. She is almost guaranteed to play in China this year after missing out on that chance in the past. She has many fans in that country and will surely cherish a chance to play in front of them.
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