Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey says he “genuinely believes” Emma Raducanu will win a number of Grand Slam titles as the present tennis commentator and analyst highlights she is “too good not to succeed” sooner or later and backs the previous world No. 10 to be a really harmful participant subsequent 12 months.
After always battling accidents and bodily setbacks, the 22-year-old had surgical procedures on each wrists and her ankle a 12 months and a half in the past. For somebody to have such large surgical procedures at a younger age was all however superb and there was completely uncertainty about how it might pan out.
However now, it’s secure to say that it was the best transfer contemplating that Raducanu was a lot more healthy this fashion and it positively impacted her efficiency – she reached the Nottingham semifinal, made the round-of-16 at Wimbledon and in addition had her first two wins over top-10 gamers. Nevertheless, there have been nonetheless some occasional niggles, just like the one in late 2024.
Petchey, who labored with the 2021 US Open champion for a while a few years in the past, thinks she is trending in the best route.
“The harder you work, the easier it becomes when you play tennis matches. When you know you’ve put in the work the matches become ‘easier’ because your practice sessions should be arguably harder than the matches themselves. Emma is too good in my opinion not to succeed. She’s too athletic. She’s too motivated when she’s in between the lines. I think sometimes there have been a few times when she hasn’t been as prepared as she would like to be,” he told Betway.
Emma Raducanu© LTA/Instagram – Fair Use
Petchey warns: Nobody will want to play Raducanu
As mentioned above, the 22-year-old maybe didn’t win any titles this year but she looked much better on the court compared to some previous years. Also, she finally beat some players ranked inside the top-10.
So in Petchey’s mind, if the British tennis player remains committed to hard work and getting better – and also stays healthy – there is absolutely no reason not to think that she will have an even better 2025 and possibly become one of the best in the game.
“I have 100 percent confidence she will do the work in the off-season. There’s nobody out there that’s going to enjoy playing Emma when she’s fully fit and fully motivated. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to sit here and say to you that she’s going to be pushing a lot of the top 10 players consistently over the next twelve months,” Petchey added.
“But there has to be a commitment to week in week out tournaments. The dipping in and out doesn’t help the physical side of things. I want her to have longevity in the sport. I don’t want her out of the sport at 26 or 27. Her team should be looking at how they manage her from here on in for another fifteen years of playing this sport if that’s what she wants to do. I think she’s well placed to do that.”
Petchey shuts down the claims of Raducanu being a one-Slam marvel
After reaching the 2021 Wimbledon round-of-16 as an 18-year-old wildcard in her Slam debut, the Briton wrote tennis historical past two months later by turning into the first-ever qualifier to win a Main. She hasn’t lifted any titles since.
However this previous summer time, Raducanu made the second week at a Grand Slam for the primary time since 2021 – she made the Wimbledon last-16 earlier than struggling a shock loss to Lulu Solar.
It isn’t a secret that the 22-year-old handled some main criticism and scrutiny in the previous couple of years. One of many extra in style insults that got here her manner was a few of her critics and doubters labeling her “a one Slam wonder.”
Petchey would not agree with that in any respect – and never solely that – he’s not ruling out the opportunity of the previous world No. 59 making a very deep run at subsequent month’s Australian Open.
“I’ll by no means restrict her potential. I genuinely imagine she’ll win a number of majors earlier than the top of her profession. I believe it is a stretch to say that she may win the Australian Open, however I additionally do not assume it’s past the realms of chance. All I do know is that if she’s been wholesome and she or he’s acquired sufficient matches underneath her belt heading into Australia and she or he will get a positive draw she’ll have a possibility to problem for the title. Clearly, a extra reasonable purpose proper now can be reaching the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park,” Petchey mentioned.
Emma Raducanu© YouTube screenshot
Earlier this 12 months, Raducanu confidently acknowledged that she has little doubt that she’s going to win Wimbledon someday.
