‘I got burnt a lot' – Emma Raducanu reveals personal betrayals have turned her into ‘Fort Knox with who I let in'
EMMA RADUCANU has admitted that she finds it difficult to trust, having been "burnt" since her remarkable US Open triumph.
The British tennis star, 22, is in Rome and will take on Australia's Maya Joint in the first round of the Italian Open later today.
Advertisement
3
Emma Raducanu is in Rome for the Italian Open
Credit: Splash
3
Raducanu, 22, will take on Australia's Maya Joint
Credit: Getty
The world No49 is also joined in Rome by Jane O'Donoghue, the 42-year-old who has often been in Raducanu's corner during her career.
Ahead of her Italian Open first round, Raducanu reflected on her sense of independence.
The 2021 US Open champion said: "I'm someone who keeps things to myself and it takes a lot for me to open up.
Advertisement
READ MORE IN TENNIS
"I haven't really opened up to many people in my life, truly, but the ones that I really trust, I do.
"And the thing is with me, once I let someone in, I let them in fully and I care for them so much, and I have been burnt a few times.
"A few people who I've really trusted have surprised me, but I guess that's life, and I still have some great people around me who I really trust, and I'm working on it.
"I mean, part of me doesn't like talking too much about any problems, because it makes it into a bigger problem.
Advertisement
Most read in Tennis
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
"So I think now I'm learning to just accept the day as it comes and just choose discipline over how I feel."
Prior to reuniting with Petchey, Raducanu briefly worked with Vlado Platenik earlier this year.
Emma Raducanu's Miami campaign comes to an end after defeat to Jessica Pegula
The pair
Advertisement
Platenik was the seventh coach that Raducanu has employed since winning the US Open.
In February, she was targeted by a stalker in Dubai.
Having already been approached in a restaurant the previous day, a visibly distressed Raducanu hid behind the umpire's chair as the man was removed from the stands.
'I WAS SO SHELTERED'
Expanding on her struggles to open up, the British No2 said: "The last few years, it's been very difficult for me to trust new people, especially those who have not necessarily known me from the years before the US Open.
Advertisement
"I just find myself gravitating towards those people now who I've known, and I'd say my circle is smaller than ever. And I was so sheltered.
"Up to 18, I was just with my parents, they helped me with everything, like nothing could touch me.
"All of a sudden, after that, everyone came and I got burnt quite a lot of times, whether that's professionally or personally. Now I'm just like very Fort Knox with who I let in."
Raducanu also admitted that she wants to
Advertisement
During her Covid-enforced break from tennis in 2020, Raducanu earned two A-Levels - achieving an A* in Maths and an A in economics.
She said: "Whether I will take my third A-level and go into a degree, I'm not sure. But I feel like I need some sort of pressure and adrenaline in that sense of my life.
"I think it'll be a good escape because, growing up, I always had tennis as an escape from studying and studying as an escape from tennis.
"So it wasn't just my entire life and my entire personality being dependent on this one thing."
Advertisement
3
Raducanu has been in good spirits ahead of her opening match
Credit: Getty
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Bobby Brazier calls dad Jeff a ‘rock' in sweet Father's Day post after brother Freddy makes rehab U-turn
BOBBY Brazier has called his dad Jeff a 'rock' in a sweet Father Day's post - after his brother Freddy's rehab U-turn. The EastEnders star, 22, and younger sibling Freddy, 20, are sons of 4 Bobby Brazier shared a sweet Father's Day message on Instagram Credit: Rex 4 He called dad Jeff "a rock" alongside a family snap Credit: Instagram 4 Freddy recently made a U-turn on entering rehab Credit: Getty Taking to Instagram, Bobby shared a photo of himself, Jeff and Freddy stood on a beach, looking out towards the ocean. With the three having their arms around each other in the snap , he captioned: "My dads a rock." It comes as Freddy The Instagram over the weekend. Read more on Bobby Brazier Posting a black and white throwback of himself as a child, Freddy wrote: 'You know what I don't need rehab! I just need a holiday with a good group of boys or a retreat.' Freddy stunned followers when he opened up about a long-standing smoking addiction and a desire to make peace with his dad after a tense family rift. cannabis , saying he 'wants a healthy relationship with his dad'. In a heartfelt post, he said: 'I want to be clean so I can life happily and have healthy relationships with people and be there for all of my family rather then feeling like I'm in the middle and have to choose a side.' Most read in News TV Freddy also shared hopes of mending things with his famous father, saying: 'I want to play football and take up boxing . I want to be happy and be in a healthy relationship and have a healthy relationship with my Nana and my father.' Elsewhere, elder son Bobb Freddy Brazier reunites with dad Jeff before heading to rehab in Spain amid concern over gran's 'harmful' influence The Friends say Bobby's interest in spirituality has grown over the past year and is helping him process the lasting impact of losing his mum to cervical cancer in 2009, when he was just five. A volunteer at the temple told fail . He joins our kitchen session, learns the prayers – this isn't a gimmick.' A family friend added: 'Bobby had a difficult life. His mum dying left a mark on him, as it would. "Hare Krishna is somewhere he seeks solace. It might seem strange, but for him, it works.' Last year, The Sun published images of Bobby Oxford Street, where he was even seen handing out leaflets. Bobby said of the movement: 'I've had the blessing of meeting some incredible devotees who have really taken me under the wing and been really merciful upon me. "And they are just the most beautiful, happy, content, smart, intelligent people.' The young actor will Inside Bobby Brazier's burgeoning TV career Bobby Brazier has risen through the ranks to become a well known face on British TV. As the son of The star made his catwalk debut in 2020 at Milan Fashion Week, but it wasn't long before he had his eyes on a TV career. He shot to prominence in 2022 when he was cast as Freddie Slater in EastEnders. The incredibly acting skills displayed on screen earned him the National Television Award in the 'Rising Star' category. His famous dad was in tears as Bobby accepted the award on stage in front of the likes of Holly Willoughby and It wasn't long before BBC bosses wanted him to take part in the 21st series of Strictly Come Dancing. He clearly impressed the viewers with his dancing skills as he made the grand final and was a runner-up. Since then, viewers were delighted when he returned to his role in the long-running BBC One soap. An EastEnders spokeswoman said: 'We can confirm that future .' A telly insider revealed: 'Bosses had a meeting with Bobby only recently as they had a plan in mind for a storyline, and it just so happened that Bobby was also thinking that now was the right time to look for other opportunities outside the show. 'The timing of the decision worked for both, but his final scenes are not for a while yet. 'The character has had a great run, but the time is now right for Bobby to look for other opportunities, and for EastEnders to wave goodbye to Freddie Slater.' 4 Bobby with TV presenter dad Jeff Credit: Rex
RTÉ News
31 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Rory McIlroy sets sights on home Open after 'climbing Everest' with Masters win
Rory McIlroy is ready for a new challenge after "climbing my Everest" of winning the Masters and has set his sights on next month's Open at Portrush. McIlroy ended a difficult week at the US Open on a high on Sunday, going some way to exorcising the demons of an Oakmont course that had tortured him for the first three days. The 36-year-old played his best golf of the week, with the sort of accuracy and guile that he would have longed for on Thursday and Friday, carding a three-under-par 67 to finish on seven under. It was not just the bruising difficulty of Oakmont which has left him feeling fuzzy-headed this week, though, as McIlroy still suffers the hangover of that career-defining win at Augusta in April, where he became just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam of majors. He has accepted that it is time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open on home soil is the place to do it. "Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb," he said. "An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those. "If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me. "I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks." Next month's final major of the year is just 65 miles from where he grew up playing at Holywood and it will be his first time home since winning the Green Jacket and completing the set. "I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already (in 2019) and at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time," he said. "Obviously it will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week. "Hopefully I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the Green Jacket. "It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to it. "It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today, and yeah, I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush."
The Irish Sun
42 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Please stay away from me' – Alexander Zverev swipes at Taylor Fritz in X-rated rant after Stuttgart Open final
ALEXANDER ZVEREV barked "I'm f***ing tired of you" after losing to Taylor Fritz in the Stuttgart Open final. The German, 28, has struggled against the American over the last 12 months. Advertisement 4 Alexander Zverev delivered an X-rated runner-up speech Credit: Getty 4 Taylor Fritz shook off a poor clay court season to win the title Credit: Getty But he has appeared to be a man revitalised on the grass of Stuttgart this week, beating Quentin Halys, Marton Fucsovics, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Fritz's 6-3 7-6 triumph in the final was his fifth in a row against Zverev during the last year. In his runner-up speech during the trophy ceremony, spiky Zverev joked: "Last but not least, Taylor, I'm f***ing tired of you. Advertisement READ MORE IN SPORT 'I don't wanna see you again over the next two to three years. Please stay away from me. Don't come to Germany anymore. "No, well done you deserve to win this title. "You are one of the best players in the world on this surface and you were much better than me today, so congrats to the whole team and I'm sure you are going to do incredible on the next two tournaments on grass, so well done." Fritz smiled sheepishly while sat in his chair during Zverev's speech. Advertisement Most read in Tennis BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 4 Fritz shares a laugh with Zverev after his latest victory over him Credit: AP After the match, the US Open runner-up posted on X: "what is Clay ?" Following his defeat to Fritz at Wimbledon last year, 6ft 6in Zverev complained about a member of his opponent's player box, thought to be girlfriend Advertisement Supermum qualifier Tatjana Maria stuns Queen's as 160-1 qualifier becomes oldest WTA title winner since Serena Williams During his post-match press conference, the three-time Grand Slam runner-up huffed: "His team is extremely respectful. I think his coach, his physio and also his second coach were extremely respectful. "But I think there are some other people that, maybe, are in the box that are not, maybe from the tennis world and are not, maybe, particularly watching every match. "They were a bit over the top but that's okay. No issues, no drama. He fought back from two sets to love so they are obviously all excited, very pumped up. "But no issues with Taylor. I think Taylor is a great guy and I have no issues with him." Advertisement At the time, Morgan shared an Instagram reel toasting and sipping her drink in a white dress and navy jacket, captioned: "When your man wins for the girls." Fritz has since beaten Zverev at the US Open, Laver Cup and ATP Finals. The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist is set to be in action in London next week. Fritz will head to the Queen's Club to play in the HSBC Championships, and has drawn Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the first round. Advertisement 4 Morgan Riddle cheered Fritz on at Wimbledon last year Credit: Getty
