Emma Raducanu has endured a lot of scrutiny since winning the US Open in 2021, and former ATP player Tim Henman thinks it's too much, as he believes she will prove her doubters wrong.
Raducanu catapulted herself into the spotlight by becoming the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam tournament. It was an important achievement because it was a historic achievement that had never been done before and likely won't be repeated.
It also skyrocketed expectations around her career, which is ironic because nobody expected any of that before the event. Raducanu was considered a talented player who could do some damage in the future.
Nobody saw her as a finished product or good enough to challenge for trophies, but after that Cinderella run, the script flipped. All of a sudden, she was expected to start winning while clearly not being ready.
What followed has been a rocky few years as a professional, in which she didn't even play much due to injuries that kept her off the courts for most of last year. Her form has looked far better this year, even though still quite short of where expectations are.
Former player and fellow Brit Tim Henman was asked about Raducanu's situation by Tennis365 after she crashed out early at the US Open. There were some scheduling issues leading up to that event, which she later regretted, but for Henman, all of this criticism regarding her scheduling was too much.
He correctly pointed out that there is a certain obsession with Raducanu and her career, which we don't necessarily see with other players. The fascination with her is warranted due to her story and what she achieved, but the amount of scrutiny is too much, according to the former player.
As a firm believer in her potential, he's been backing her to do well, and he thinks she'll be back in the Top 20 in no time, given her recent form.
"There is almost a borderline obsession about different elements of her game and where she is going wrong. She hasn’t played in Canada and Cincinnati over the last few weeks… big deal!"
"It’s two tournaments out of 52 weeks, she has played plenty of tournaments this year and she is top 50 in the WTA Race for this year."
"She is continuing to build and get fitter, stronger and faster. Her game is fantastic. She will be top 20 or top 30 before long, so we need to stop this level of scrutiny."
Raducanu is looking at a busy schedule at the end of the year. While she's never been a player who plays many events per year, the Brit is expected to play at the Korea Open in Seoul later this year.
She should also compete in China for the first time in a long time, which will be a great moment for her as she has roots in the country and a big fanbase.
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