"She is very demanding of herself" - Emma Raducanu's ex-coach Dmitry Tursunov hails Brit as an 'incredible, intelligent person' despite parting ways
Emma Raducanu's former coach Dmitry Tursunov praised her, claiming that the former US Open champion demanded a lot from herself.
Tursunov, who is currently coaching Belinda Bencic, became Raducanu's coach in July 2022 before parting ways with her that October.
The Russian was asked about his time with the Brit while speaking on The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast. Tursunov replied by saying that he was very happy with Raducanu and claimed that she always demanded a lot from herself.
Tursunov also stated that the 20-year-old was a very intelligent person and that talking to her could make one forget that she was so young. He went on to declare that he enjoyed every second of working with Raducanu.
"I was super happy with her, it's weird because I completely take out of context, the Slam win. I don't look at that, it just happened. She's super young, you know, like when you watch how these planets were formed, all these storms and fluctuations in temperature, there's so much turbulence. I think that's what she has a bit in her game and her mind," Tursunov said.
"She is super young but she is very demanding of herself and she pushes herself a lot. She is super tough on herself but to me, I felt that she is an incredible, intelligent person. When you talk to her, you just forget that she is 19-20. So, in that sense, I really enjoyed every second of it," he added.
"She is great player and can come back and challenge again" - John McEnroe on Emma Raducanu
John McEnroe recently spoke about Emma Raducanu as well, claiming that the tennis world was hoping for her to get back to the level she showed at the 2021 US Open. The American was of the opinion that Raducanu has what it takes to rise to the top once again, clarifying that no one can win a Grand Slam by pure luck.
“I think the last year has been overwhelming, obviously. She has gone through a lot of changes in her life and now she has had issues with injuries. Everyone in the tennis world is hopeful that she can embrace what’s happening with her and hope that she gets back to the level she showed at the US Open," McEnroe said.
"We just all want to see her compete and enjoy the challenge in front of her, I’m sure she can have a great year. Ultimately, tennis is a competition and you have to find way to deal with that. I wish Emma all the best. Let’s put this on the record. You don’t win a Grand Slam by luck. She is great player and can come back and challenge again," he added.
Emma Raducanu's last appearance on court came at the Australian Open, where she reached the second round before losing to Coco Gauff. The 20-year-old is next scheduled to compete at the inaugural edition of the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, which will start on February 27.