‘I literally won a Slam’ – Raducanu laughs off any talk of pressure after Wimbledon exit

More questions for the British No 1 after another early exit

Britain’s Emma Raducanu acknowledges the crowd after losing her second round match against France’s Caroline Garcia (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

June 29, 2022

In her last three Grand Slams, Emma Raducanu has departed the draw in the second round – in Australia at the hands of Danka Kovinic (6-4, 4-6, 6-3), to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Roland-Garros (3-6, 6-1, 6-1), and now a sound defeat at the hands of the experienced and aggressive Caroline Garcia, 6-3, 6-3, on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

The next time she arrives on court at a Major, it’ll be as a defending champion in New York.

But the 19-year-old scorned any talk that she would be feeling any pressure, telling journalists in her post-match press conference: “There’s no pressure. Like, why is there any pressure? I’m still 19. Like, it’s a joke. I literally won a slam.

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy after her match on day thirteen of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. — Emma Raducanu after winning the US Open in 2021. Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

“Going back to New York, it’s going to be cool because I have got a lot of experiences playing on big courts, playing with people in the stadium, playing with the spotlight on you. I don’t mind that. I mean, for me, everything is learning. I’m embracing every single moment that is thrown at me.”

Raducanu – I’ve played seven hours in a month

And she reminded observers that she had little time on court in recent weeks, pulling out mid-match in the only tournament she entered between Paris and London while 4-3 down to Viktorija Golubic in Nottingham.

“I didn’t feel anything out there. I declared myself fully fit when I walked out onto the court on the first day. But I’ve played seven hours of tennis in a month. To even compete with these girls at this level and win a round I think is a pretty good achievement.”

She also suggested that with players facing her for a second or third time, she would have to develop her game to find new ways of countering them.

“Yeah, of course it will make me a better player because they’re just highlighting all my weaknesses. Then when you do it on a big court like that, it’s definitely magnified. It’s just great for me to get all these lessons at such a young age so that when I’m in my mid 20s, I’ll have those issues or little glitches in my game sorted.”