Emma Raducanu: "For Andy Murray to let go of tennis, I just don't see it happening"
Emma Raducanu believes Andy Murray is not going to hang up his racket anytime soon because of his sheer love for the sport. Murray has announced that he plans to retire from tennis after the conclusion of the grass swing this year.
Andy Murray was set for a fairytale farewell at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. However, his plans are now in limbo as a recent injury has seriously jeopardized the former World No. 1's participation in London. Murray recently retired during the early stages of his second-round contest at the 2024 cinch Championships in London due to a back injury.
The 37-year-old Murray underwent surgery on Saturday, June 23, and is racing against the clock to recover and be ready for his swansong at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. The 2024 Wimbledon Championships begins on June 1.
British star Emma Raducanu recently spoke about her admiration for Andy Murray and gave her take on his impending retirement. In a conversation with Sky Sports Tennis, Raducanu praised Murray's commitment to tennis and his ability to block out the negativity and focus on his work. Moreover, the former US Open champion does not see Murray easily giving the sport that he loves so much.
"Like Andy from what I know, like of him. How I know him a little bit is just He loves tennis like he loves the sport And, , the challenges that come with it And he like, if he doesn't care about what anyone might think or say about it, he just loves doing what he does. And, , I think for him to, like, finally let go of tennis. I I just don't see it happening," she said.
Raducanu hoped to see the Brit veteran play for longer but understood his decision in light of the physical rigors of competing at the professional level.
"I'd be happy if he played for a very long time to tell me that, , physically, it's obviously such a demanding sport situation for me and especially with his surgery. So I mean, I want to see him going for as long as possible," she continued.
Emma Raducanu plays in Eastbourne ahead of Wimbledon Championships 2024
Emma Raducanu is currently in Eastbourne, competing in the WTA 500 Rothesay International. The Brit received a main draw wildcard at Eastbourne and kicked off her campaign with a confident 6-4, 6-0 win against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first round. The 21-year-old will now face second seed and recently crowned ecotrans Ladies Open champion Jessica Pegula in the second round.
Radacanu has been in good touch on grass after skipping Roland Garros. She reached her first tour-level semifinal in nearly two years at the 2024 Rothesay Open in Nottingham.
After her campaign in Eastbourne, Emma Raducanu will head to London to compete in the Wimbledon Championships for the third time in her career. It was at SW19 in 2021 that Raducanu announced her arrival on the tennis scene with a fourth-round run in what was her maiden Grand Slam appearance. This year, Raducanu has received a main draw wildcard to compete at Wimbledon.