"She's got all the attributes, now she's got to learn how to win and maybe how to enjoy it"- Sue Barker shares some words of wisdom for Emma Raducanu
British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has been in the spotlight ever since her miraculous run at the US Open Championships in 2021. No player in the history of tennis has managed to win a Grand Slam event as a qualifier.
However, not all has gone according to plan for the 19-year-old. She is yet to make a significant impact on the women's tour since her triumphant run in New York last year. Raducanu's best result came at the Korea Open recently in Seoul, where she made the semifinals before being forced to retire due to an injury against Jelena Ostapenko in the third set.
Former French Open winner and BBC TV presenter Sue Barker shared some advice for the current World No. 67, stating that the Brit has the game and tenacity, but needs to learn "how to win" and enjoy it as well.
"She's got the game and she's shown she's got the mindset and physically she's fabulous. I mean, I don't know about the injuries and what's happening with those, but she got through the US Open from qualifying. I feel that she's got all the attributes. Now she's got to learn how to win and maybe how to enjoy it," Sue Barker said in an interview with the Telegraph.
Enjoyed speaking to Sue Barker - once of life's natural mood-enhancers - for this interview about her own playing career. (We left QoS out of it) telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/10…
Like Emma Raducanu, Sue Barker also registered the biggest victory very early in her career. She won the French Open in 1976 at the age of 20 and followed it up with two singles titles in San Francisco and Dallas in 1977.
Barker also reached the Australian Open semifinals for the second time in the same year and made it to the last four at Wimbledon. She looked set to square off against Virginia Wade in the final at the All England Club but unexpectedly lost her semifinal bout against Betty Stove of the Netherlands.
She never made it to a Grand Slam final again in her career.
"Raducanu needs one person she trusts and believes in"- Sue Barker advises Emma Raducanu on how to go about finding the right coach
Emma Raducanu is currently working with Russian Dmitry Tursunov, who is her fourth coach in just over a year, having split with three coaches since making her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2021.
Former tennis player Sue Barker shared her advice for Raducanu on how to go about choosing a coach and stated that the Brit needs someone she "really trusts and believes in."
"I feel she needs one person that she really trusts and believes in. Every coach comes in with a different mindset, a different way of wanting to play and a different way of teaching, and to me, that would be totally confusing. It would be disruptive before it became effective. But I also feel that the pressure that she's been put under has just been immense," Sue Barker said.