Paula Badosa has urged the British public and press to stop being “tough” on Emma Raducanu as the teenager battles injury woes ahead of her return to Wimbledon. The world No 3 has previously been open about her own mental struggles and urged for the US Open champion to be given time following her unprecedented rise last year.
Raducanu is currently battling a side injury ahead of her return to Wimbledon – the latest in a string of issues and niggles the 19-year-old has battled in her first full season on the tour this year. The Bromley local is yet to go beyond the quarter-final of a tournament since becoming the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam at the US Open last year but Badosa has pleaded for the pressure to be taken off Raducanu’s shoulders.
“I mean her situation is very tough and she already did amazing things in this sport at a very young age and I think most of the people are tough on her,” the Spaniard said, as Raducanu gears up to return to Wimbledon 12 months after making her Grand Slam debut as the 338th-ranked wildcard, where she stormed to the second week.
“In the other side maybe I can understand [that] press is press but still it puts so much pressure on her and she’s a teenager still and [has] so much to learn.” The world No 3 also backed the US Open champion to eventually back up her success and claimed that her win in Flushing Meadows was proof enough of Raducanu’s ability.
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