Latest news with #EmmaRaducanu
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Emma Raducanu to face Swiatek after French Open win over Wang Xinyu
Emma Raducanu will face one of the toughest challenges in tennis after setting up a French Open second‑round match against the four-time champion Iga Swiatek. Despite arriving in Paris preoccupied by her recovery from the back spasms she had experienced days earlier, Raducanu demonstrated her mental toughness in a gritty 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win against Wang Xinyu of China, the world No 43. Swiatek, who is attempting to win an open era‑record fourth consecutive women's singles championship at Roland Garros, began her title defence with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Rebecca Sramkova. Related: French Open: US shocks as top-10 seeds Fritz and Navarro lose in first round 'I think it's a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself,' Raducanu said. 'I think exposure to the top players is great for where I'm at for my development. I think especially on clay, it's her preferred tournament probably [and] surface. She's won it four times. 'It's a match where I can go out and test really just myself and go for my shots, because I know if I just push the ball, I'm probably going to get eaten. I need to hit the ball. I'm looking forward to that challenge.' One year after a dire French Open for British tennis players when they failed to win a single match, the group enjoyed an excellent start to the 2025 edition with three victories. Jacob Fearnley, who has enjoyed a stellar rise after transitioning to the professional circuit from college 11 months ago, marked his French Open debut with a confident 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-2 win against the 2015 champion, Stan Wawrinka. Katie Boulter, the British No 1, then ended the day with a 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-1 win against the qualifier Carole Monnet, which was also her first main draw win at the French Open. Jodie Burrage was the only British player to lose, beaten 7-6 (1), 6-4 by Danielle Collins. Raducanu was unsure how her body would hold up after her back flared up during her defeat against Collins at the Strasbourg Open last Wednesday. Although the British No 2 looked strong early on against Wang, it soon became clear that she was feeling ill. At 6-5 she called for the physio and doctor. She spent much of her medical timeout dabbing ice around her face while having her blood pressure and heart rate checked. Despite holding to secure the first set, the match had shifted and she quickly found herself down 1-5 in the second set. But Raducanu pulled herself together, playing excellent attacking tennis to close out the match. 'I'm actually really proud of today's match, more so than I think a lot of the matches that I played recently or in general, because I woke up and I felt really sick, to be honest,' Raducanu said. 'I felt bad from the morning. I was just trying and fighting through that.' In the past few months there has been a significant shift in Raducanu's approach to the sport. Off the court, she has tried to find more balance and enjoyment in her life as opposed to the more regimented schedules that other players follow. On court, she has come closer to finding her identity by pairing her offensive mentality with greater variation. Her forehand, in particular, has improved and she is looking to run around her trusty backhand and dictate with it. Against Wang, Raducanu struggled with her backhand in the first half of the match but she struck her forehand superbly. Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the British players' performances on Monday is that they reflect their positive clay court seasons. Until last month, Fearnley had not stepped on clay for eight years but he has performed extremely well with minimal experience on the surface, beating numerous top‑100 players, including his first career top‑20 win against Tomas Machac at the Madrid Open. Fearnley was favoured to defeat Wawrinka, who is now 40 years old, ranked No 138 and 10 years removed from his incredible triumph in Paris. Managing his nerves before an adversarial French crowd, however, made this an even greater challenge for Fearnley. Related: French Open 2025: Raducanu digs deep to beat Wang; Alcaraz and Ruud in action – live 'I knew it was going to be a tough match,' Fearnley said. 'It's difficult, for sure, playing in front of the crowd always screaming his name. Yeah, it's not easy. I really enjoyed it, to be honest. 'I think part of the battle was just not letting that kind of get to my head and not letting his name and his calibre of tennis get into my head. Just focus on myself really.' Boulter, meanwhile, celebrated her first career title on clay a week before Roland Garros, winning the WTA 125 event in Paris. Although this will never be her best surface, she continues to grow more comfortable on the red dirt with every victory.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Brits rise and fall at French Open as Boulter bows out and Norrie battles on
Court Philippe-Chatrier is one of the broadest tennis courts in the world, meaning when things are going badly and the match is rapidly falling away, it makes for a painfully lonely place to be. A day after Emma Raducanu learned this during her heavy defeat by the defending champion Iga Swiatek, Katie Boulter endured a similarly miserable experience as she was comprehensively beaten 6-1, 6-3 by the Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the second round of the French Open. Landing in the path of a recent grand slam champion is rarely good news but there were reasons for Boulter, the British No 1, to be hopeful before her match with Keys. Rather than potentially facing a tricky, cunning clay specialist who could make her extremely uncomfortable, the tactics were at least simple for both: attack first. Although both players attempt to play an uncompromising first-strike game, dictating opponents with their serve and forehands, Keys is simply a better player. Boulter's relative deficiencies were particularly clear on serve. The American has long established herself as one of the best servers in the world, her precise, destructive first delivery is complemented by her tricky, consistent top-spin second effort. The British player is far more temperamental. On a good day, when she finds rhythm and is striking her ground strokes cleanly, Boulter can certainly perform at a high level and she possesses enough weapons to trouble the best players in the world. On Thursday, however, was a poor day with ball in hand for Boulter and it did not take long for her second serve to crumble under the pressure inflicted by Keys, who hunted it down without hesitation. The British No 1, ranked 38th in the world, struck nine double faults, including three times on break point to give away the first three breaks of the match. Her serving did not give her a realistic chance. Although the surface will always be a significant challenge for Boulter, her second clay court season has still represented a positive step forward. She won her first clay court title at any level in the WTA 125 event in Paris just before the French Open and her opening round win against Carole Monnet was her first main draw victory at the French Open. She will now head to the grass, her favourite surface, with higher expectations and greater opportunities. Sonay Kartal, the British No 3, fell 6-1, 6-4 to Marie Bouzkova in the second round after an extremely physical, arduous battle. Having won her first French Open match on her debut, the 23-year-old from London continues to make positive, steady progress and she could break into the world's top 50 for the first time in her career after the tournament, depending on other results. In the men's draw, Cameron Norrie continued to gain momentum as he followed up his spectacular first-round win over Daniil Medvedev, the 11th seed, with an efficient 7-6 (7), 6-2, 6-1 victory over Federico Agustin Gomez of Argentina. After a tough opening set against Gomez, a lucky loser with a searing forehand who was competing in a grand slam tournament for the first time in his career, Norrie relaxed and cruised to victory:.'I played a very steady kind of 6, 7 out of 10 for the whole time,' the world No 81 said. 'It showed in the score. I was very happy with the way I handled it. I felt I didn't play amazing, didn't play that badly. Didn't give him much. So it was a good day.' Norrie will next face a fellow Brit in the third round after Jacob Fearnley advanced at the expense of 22nd seed Ugo Humbert after the Frenchman retired with an injury. Fearnley won the first set 6-4 with the second level at 4-4 when the match was cut short. Arthur Fils, the 20-year-old French No 1, finally made his mark at his home grand slam tournament as he fought through injury to complete an incredible comeback victory against Jaume Munar of Spain, winning 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4 after four hours and 25 minutes. The French youngster led by two sets but began to struggle with both a back injury and cramps, quickly losing the third and fourth. From a break down in the final set, at the urging of a deafening Court Suzanne-Lenglen crowd, he pulled off a spectacular recovery to reach the third round at Roland Garros for the first time. 'This is my best match of all time, I think,' said Fils. 'I have had big matches before, but I have never had a match like this in five sets before.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Emma Raducanu told she has been ‘living her career in reverse' by coach and BBC pundit after Swiatek hammering
EMMA RADUCANU has been told by her new coach she has to restart her career – because she has been living her tennis life in 'reverse'. And guru Mark Petchey – a respected TV analyst – has defended her work ethic and claims doubters should stop living in the past as the sport has moved on since that fairytale US Open victory. 4 4 Raducanu, 22, switches to the grass now after a humbling 6-1 6-2 clay defeat to defending champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open. What she famously achieved in New York four years ago, aged 18 and on her debut, has raised expectations and perhaps unfairly piled too much pressure on her shoulders. Petchey, 54, wants people to realise that tennis BALLS are different these days – he claims they are 'four times heavier than they were back in 2021'. And having agreed to work with her since the Miami Open in March, and following a key training block in LA, he has told her camp if he is not the right man to take her forward, then he will step aside. Speaking on TNT Sports, Petchey said: 'From my point of view, it's tough on Emma at the moment. 'I feel as though everybody's still living in 2021. The game has changed massively. 'The balls are four times heavier than they were back in 2021 and Emma isn't one of the biggest hitters out there. 'If you can't put the ball through the court particularly on a windy, heavy clay-court day against someone like Iga, you're going to get into all sorts of trouble. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 4 'Listen, on hard and grass that gap is a lot closer in my opinion right now compared to where Emma was in Australia against Iga. 'She knows what she's going to have to do and it's going to take a long time. 'My mantra to her since Miami has been: You know, you're starting your career now. 'Everyone is going to judge you on what happened in 2021 but the reality for me is, I'd like to see you start building a normal career from here, where you get judged in a couple of years. 'Like Jack (Draper), Jacob Fearnley, Sonay (Kartal), all of these people. That's where, unfortunately for Emma, she's living her career in reverse.' Essex-born Petchey – who should have more free time in the grass campaign to work on the practice courts – has made subtle changes so far, particular to her choice of racquet strings. Raducanu, set to move up to 37th in the world rankings, has been besieged with injuries since that £1.8million US success. One thing Petchey has been quick to defend is her work ethic, saying it is a 'myth' to suggest she is scared of putting in the hours. 'IT HAS BEEN BETTER' Andy Murray's former coach said: 'Since Miami, when we improvised and I started helping Emma, it has been the one thing I've said to her – she has got to close the gap between the best players. 'She doesn't need me to sit around 20 and 50 in the world – and if I'm not the best choice, then she needs to find the best choice. 'The one thing that everybody knows is that we worked on her service motion over in Los Angeles. It's a longer motion. I think it has been better. 'But like any changes, it takes a while to bed in, particularly when you go out on one of the biggest courts in the world, it may not fire as well. 'You look at somebody like Daniil Medvedev, he hasn't won a tournament for two years. 'The game has changed. These balls have changed. For somebody like Emma to move the ball, she has to find a way to be able to feel as though she can have an impact against players like Coco (Gauff), (Aryna) Sabalenka, Iga. 'That's my job. If I'm not good enough at it, in finding whether I can do it, or somebody else can do it… 'When you've been through what she has been through in the last four years, there's an ability to get behind the ball a bit quicker and therefore make something more happen with it. But lots of improvements. 'I'm a little tired of hearing people say that she doesn't work hard. 'I spent ten months with her in 2020, and I've spent every day that I can with her since Miami, and not once has she not put in a full day shift. 'In terms of turning up every day and putting in a good shift, she's done it every single time. So, I'd like to bury that myth where it belongs.' Watch every match of Roland-Garros live and exclusive on TNT Sports and discovery 4
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Coach blames heavy tennis balls for Raducanu form
Emma Raducanu's coach Mark Petchey has said heavier tennis balls are among things affecting the British number two's attempts to rejoin the world's elite exited the French Open after being outclassed by five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek 6-1 6-2 in the second round on 2021 US Open champion is ranked 41st in the world and has won just one of her nine career matches against top-five players."From my point of view, it's tough on Emma as I still feel everyone is living in 2021," said Petchey, who has been coaching Raducanu in an "informal" arrangement since March."The games have changed massively," said exaggerating to make the point about heavier balls, he continued: "The balls are four times heavier than back in 2021 and Emma isn't the biggest hitter out there."If you can't put the ball through the court on a windy, heavy clay court day against someone like Iga, you're going to get into all sorts of trouble."Petchey, a former British number one, coached an 18-year-old Andy Murray for 10 months helping him break into the top 50 in 2006 and also trained Raducanu during the pandemic summer of is combining his coaching commitments with his work as a pundit for TNT Sports in their coverage of Roland said: "Since I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players."She doesn't need me to sit between 20-50 in the world and, if I'm not the best choice, she needs to find the best choice."My mantra to her has been that you are starting your career now. Everyone is judging you on what happened in 2021 but the reality is, I want to see you building a career here where people judge you in two years."Raducanu has been without a full-time coach since Nick Cavaday stood down for health reasons in 22-year-old has previously worked with a number of coaches including Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov and Sebastian Sachs. Are balls 'four times heavier' than 2021? A number of tennis players, including Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios, have voiced their concerns over heavier and slower tennis balls in recent made by different manufacturers are far from identical and with tournaments free to sign their own contracts, players are forced to adapt to different kinds of balls throughout the season - even for the Grand Slams. Slazenger balls have been used at the Wimbledon since 1902 while Dunlop supply the balls for the Australian Open. The French Open and US Open currently use balls made by Wilson. Dunlop is also the official ball of the ATP Tour in a deal running until balls, which get increasingly heavy and slow, have become popular among the organisers to encourage longer rallies but many players believe they cause more frequent injuries. However, there are strict regulations as to what balls can be used in professional to the International Tennis Federation's rules, a ball used for the game must weigh between 56g and 59.4g. This has been the required weight range since 2000, when it changed from 56.7-58.5g. Under the same rules, the maximum change in mass allowed during play is balls must also pass a number of other tests, including for size, deformation - how it changes shape during a match - bounce and current acceptable range for ball diameter is 6.54cm to 6.86cm for a Type 2 ball. This specification last changed in 1966.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Heavy balls to blame for Emma Raducanu's lack of success, says her coach
Emma Raducanu's coach has responded to criticism of her performance against Iga Swiatek on Wednesday with a passionate defence, arguing that public expectations are pitched too high. Mark Petchey stressed the quality of Swiatek's play in Wednesday's 6-1, 6-2 beatdown at the French Open, while also suggesting that Raducanu needs two more years to build an all-round game. 'It's tough on Emma as I still feel everyone is living in 2021,' Petchey said on TNT Sports, the channel where he works as a pundit at Roland Garros. 'The game has changed massively, the balls are four times heavier than back in 2021 and Emma isn't the biggest hitter out there. If you can't put the ball through the court on a windy, heavy clay-court day against someone like Iga, you're going to get into all sorts of trouble. 'Against Iga and Coco [Gauff, who beat Raducanu by exactly the same scoreline in Rome a fortnight ago], she knows what she has to do and it will take a long time. My mantra to her has been: 'You are starting your career now. Everyone is judging you on what happened in 2021 but the reality is, I want to see you building a career here where people judge you in two years.'' When she came into the interview room, Raducanu was honest in her assessment of this second-round match, admitting that she had felt 'exposed' by the quality of Swiatek's play, before adding: 'I just don't know what to do in the moment'. She also pointed out: 'There is a big difference as you go up into the top five and then playing, like, slam champions. It is a completely different ball game.' Not on my court! 💪 Four-time champion Iga Swiatek sweeps past Raducanu in the second round! 👊🎾 #RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2025 Petchey echoed these words in his defence, pointing out that Swiatek is on an extraordinary unbeaten run in Paris that stretches back almost four years. Some might even see her as the female equivalent of Rafael Nadal. 'On this court,' Petchey said, 'Iga has 23 straight wins. You don't put those streaks together at a major if your game isn't so difficult to play against. It was clearly going to be the ultimate test for Emma yesterday. 'If anyone has watched Iga's losses over the European clay court season, the players that have beaten her have played absolutely lights-out tennis. Although everyone says Iga's form is bad, I didn't actually think that and she proved it yesterday.' The good news for Raducanu's many admirers is that she now moves onto the grass, which most experts would identify as her best surface. Petchey had to miss her first-round win in Paris over Wang Xinyu because of his broadcasting commitments, but he will be exclusively focused on her needs during the six-week grass-court swing. 'Since Miami [in late March] when we improvised and I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players,' Petchey explained. 'She doesn't need me to sit between 20 and 50 in the world and if I'm not the best choice, she needs to find the best choice. 'I'm a little tired of hearing people say that she doesn't work hard. I spent 10 months with her in 2020, and I've spent every day that I can with her since Miami, and not once has she not put in a full-day shift. Perhaps there are areas where together, we can help her crystallise more gains in the fitness or the tennis or whatever, but in terms of turning up every day and putting in a good shift, she's done it every single time. So, I'd like to bury that myth where it belongs.' Also on TNT Sports, the former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki opined that Raducanu's unconventional career trajectory – which included winning the 2021 US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier – has complicated her development. 'The fact that Emma has won a grand slam, the fact that that was kind of her first burst on the scene, is very unusual,' said Wozniacki. 'It's never happened before, being in qualies and winning the tournament. 'So that obviously puts a lot of pressure on her, but at the same time, you've got to just go back and say: 'You know what? This is where I am now. What happened, happened. It's amazing. Nobody can take that away from me. But my level is 20 [in the world], let's say, or 30, whatever it may be, and I need to build from there.' 'Usually you start from the low ranking, and you slowly build your way up, then you go a little down, you make your way up again. But she kind of started at the top and then fell down and now has to work her way back and that can be a little hard.'
