ITF President believes Emma Raducanu's impact on British tennis can be similar to Venus and Serena Williams' impact on American tennis
International Tennis Federation (ITF) president David Haggerty recently spoke to The Telegraph about tennis' newest phenomenon - Emma Raducanu - and what her success means for the sport in the UK.
Weighing in on Raducanu's rise to stardom post her US Open triumph, Haggerty drew comparisons between her impact and that of the legendary Williams sisters. He opined that if the 18-year-old can build upon her historic breakthrough, she could go on to have a similar impact at Wimbledon and in her country as Venus and Serena Williams did.
"As a proud American, I saw first-hand what Serena and Venus Williams' successes at the US Open had on tennis in the States," David Haggerty said. "They were game-changing for the sport. If Raducanu can build on the fantastic start to her tennis journey, why can’t her impact at Wimbledon and for Great Britain be similar?"
The ITF president went on to assert that it is important for British players to do well at their home Slam, Wimbledon. He also emphasized the need to celebrate the accomplishments of British players like Raducanu and World No.13 Cameron Norrie, given the pressure that sportspersons experience in the UK.
"I think it's really important for British tennis to have its star players perform at Wimbledon," Haggerty continued. "I travel around the world, but when I look at the pressure that I see for sports here – across every sport – that is why I think it is so important to celebrate success like we have seen with Emma, and with what Cam (Cameron Norrie) is doing as well."
"She will really help grow tennis in this country" - ITF president on Emma Raducanu
David Haggerty proceeded to talk about Emma Raducanu potentially joining Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup team. The 18-year-old did get her maiden call for the international ITF event in 2020, but was not among the active players for the country's tie against Slovakia.
Haggerty pointed out that Britain has never lifted the Billie Jean King Cup, before opining that Raducanu could prove to be a valuable addition to the team. He went on to marvel at the Brit's victory at Flushing Meadows, which came just months after her high school graduation.
"Don't forget that Great Britain has never won the Billie Jean King Cup,” the ITF president said. "So from an ITF perspective, we'd love to see her pull on Team GB's red, white and blue in that event also. I am also pleased that the LTA has a good relationship with her. She will really help grow tennis in this country."
"I am very excited about what I think it can mean for Great Britain," he added. "First of all it has helped unlock some facilities for the sport; if someone from Bromley can go from taking her exams one week to being in the finals of a Grand Slam a couple of weeks later – that is tremendous."