Anke Huber believes Britain's Emma Raducanu is better for promoting tennis than Nick Kyrgios
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Updated 06/04/2022 at 09:24 GMT
Emma Raducanu is a better example for promoting women's tennis than someone like Nick Kyrgios, believes former world No. 4 Anke Huber. Speaking to Eurosport, Huber said emotions "aren't bad" - and that tennis would be boring without them - but that players must refrain from exceeding rules and limits within the sport.
Kyrgios argues with umpire, smashes racquet, gets game penalty
Emma Raducanu's approach to tennis is a better example for promoting the women's game than someone like Nick Kyrgios, believes former world No.4 Anke Huber.
Kyrgios has attracted attention in recent weeks due to a number of outbursts and on-court incidents, including almost hitting a ballboy in Indian Wells after throwing his racquet.
The 19-year-old Raducanu by contrast is an altogether different character, typically letting her tennis do the talking.
And Huber - speaking to Eurosport Germany - thinks a happy medium needs to be met if tennis wants to find its optimum balance of being sport-driven, yet containing enough shows of emotion to remain engaging.
Huber said: “Kyrgios pulls off this show – like John McEnroe before – often on purpose. It’s his ploy to keep the conversation going.
"But I don’t know if you should want that for women’s tennis. Granted, it makes things more interesting.
"But I think an Emma Raducanu is more effective in women’s tennis.”
Raducanu has struggled to replicate her breakout performances of 2021 this year, but Huber thinks she can go right to the top of the game once she becomes accustomed to the WTA Tour.
"Raducanu is someone who can play at the top in the future," Huber said.
"She has everything to become a top-5 player and maybe even make it to number one. Emma needs another year or two to become consistent and really demonstrate what she is capable of."
Huber also reflected on the overall trajectory of the game over recent years and what needs to be done to curb the incidents involving not just Kyrgios, but also her compatriot Alexander Zverev, whose in February.
Huber said: "I was always very emotional on the court, but I never projected that onto the referee, only onto myself.
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Watch the shocking moment Zverev attacks umpire’s chair with racquet
"With John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, it used to be quite normal to tackle the referee. Later we had this phase with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who always behaved sportsmen-like and very fair.
But if everyone just looks straight ahead and doesn't make a sound, it gets boring.
"I don't think emotions are bad, but it must not become offensive and must remain within a certain framework. But if it gets too much, you shouldn't tear the boys apart right away.
"With Zverev in Acapulco it was extreme, yes. Nobody liked to see that. In my eyes, however, that is not his real character. He had played until five in the morning the day before. You have to look at the circumstances sometimes, because he was certainly physically exhausted. But that is no excuse.
"The question is how the associations will continue to handle it. You can't let certain types of behaviour pass and allow them. A limit must be set."
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