"I felt bad for letting people down" - Emma Raducanu embraces major change in her attitude towards business and not letting it impact her tennis
Emma Raducanu claimed she's embracing a change in attitude towards off-court activities, including brand sponsorships, ahead of the new season. The former British No. 1 also admitted that off-court demands had affected her tennis career.
Raducanu became one of the most marketable athletes in the world following her surprise US Open win in 2021. She was named among the top 10 highest-earning female athletes of 2024 despite little to no success in the last two years.
Speaking in an interview at the LTA National Tennis Centre, the 22-year-old claimed that while she was giving her all on the court, off-court demands did drain her energy.
“Especially straight after I did really well, for the next few years it was very much like there was so much communication about things off the court. And I would always, always give my 100 percent on the court. I was always working really hard, but I just think that I wasn’t prepared as well for the other things that inevitably do take some energy out of you," Raducanu said (as quoted by the Guardian).
Raducanu missed most of 2023 due to a series of injuries before making a comeback in January 2024. She started the year as World No. 301, and after finishing off as World No. 57 despite a two-month break due to injury, she heads into the new season with a changed attitude.
“I think now I’m a lot more structured. I’ll be like: ‘OK, I have this time where one hour we will talk about business. And now I’m going to go train for the rest of the week’. Also, I think I’ve learned how to say no a bit more. Initially, I felt really bad for letting people down. I’d always want to do extra for whatever partner or magazine or whatever I’m shooting for," Emma Raducanu added.
After a series of coaching changes over the years, Raducanu is now coached by former childhood mentor Nick Cavaday. She also brought in Naomi Osaka and Maria Sharapova's ex-fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura as she hopes to remain injury-free in 2024.
"I have to pat myself on the back for that" - Emma Raducanu on her incredible jump in the rankings in 2024
Emma Raducanu underwent surgeries on both her wrists and her left ankle last year, and after starting 2024 as World No. 301, she was proud to end the season ranked 57. The Brit said she wanted to pat herself on the back for the massive jump while only having played in 14 ranking tournaments.
"Sometimes I need reminding: I'm top 60 and I've played less than 15 events, which is pretty unheard of. I have to pat myself on the back for that," Emma Raducanu told the BBC in an interview.
The 22-year-old was impressive during the British grass court season, reaching the semifinals at the Nottingham Open. She made the quarterfinals in four other tournaments and finished the year with a 21-13 win/loss record in the singles.