In Pictures: Emma Raducanu brightens patients' day with balloon tennis during visit to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
Emma Raducanu recently paid a visit to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. The Brit put smiles on the faces of both- the hospital's patients and staff through her presence, and also played balloon tennis.
Raducanu's last competitive tennis outing came at this year's Wimbledon Championships, where she reached the fourth round before bowing out to surprise package Lulu Sun. The 2021 US Open Champion's Wimbledon campaign was overshadowed by controversy after she withdrew from the mixed doubles event to focus on singles. She was set to partner Andy Murray in mixed doubles at SW19, and her withdrawal brought about an anti-climactic end to Murray's Wimbledon swansong.
The 21-year-old, though, seems to have put the controversy behind her. Recently, she made her way to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London. There, she made the patients' day by playing balloon tennis with them in the hospital's gym. The former World No. 10 also posed for pictures with both patients and members of the hospital staff. Raducanu's visit was documented by the hospital and photos and videos of the Brit's visit were later shared by them on Instagram.
A grateful Raducanu later thanked the hospital for welcoming her, commenting:
"Thank you"
Emma Raducanu will not feature for Great Britain at the Olympics; Brit's aim is to prepare for the upcoming hardcourt swing
Raducanu had the option of participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics as a wildcard. Even though the Brit wouldn't have made the cut for the prestigious event based on her current ranking, the fact that she is a former Grand Slam champion made her eligible. However, Raducanu turned the opportunity down.
Iain Bates, the head of the Great Britain Olympics tennis team, revealed to the BBC in June that Raducanu is concerned about switching from grass to clay and the effects it might have on her body. The Brit spent the majority of the 2023 season in rehabilitation after undergoing multiple surgeries, and did not want to test her fitness on clay; arguably the hardest surface to play on.
"I think she feels this isn't going to be the right timing for her this summer. She's hopefully got many Olympics ahead of her. I'm very comfortable with the decision she's made," Bates told the BBC.
Raducanu's focus right now would be to get her body and mind in shape for the ongoing tennis season's hardcourt swing and the US Open, where she shot to global fame in 2021 after winning the title as a qualifier.