Emma Raducanu backed by ITF president David Haggerty to have similar impact on tennis to Venus and Serena Williams

ByEurosport

Published 02/11/2021 at 12:27 GMT

“They were game-changing for the sport. If Raducanu can build on the fantastic start to her tennis journey, why can’t her impact at Wimbledon and for Great Britain be similar?” ITF president, David Haggerty has backed US Open champion Emma Raducanu to emulate the impact on tennis made by US legends Venus and Serena Williams.

ITF president, David Haggerty believes that Emma Raducanu can reach the heights of the Williams sisters and transform tennis in Britain.

The 18-year-old sensation became the first British woman to win a grand slam in 44 years, since Virginia Wade's 1977 Wimbledon victory, as her magnificent run in the US Open saw her lift the trophy.

Haggerty, who was elected president of the International Tennis Federation in 2015 believes that Raducanu has the chance to elevate tennis in her country and compared her to the other successful tennis stars.

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"As a proud American, I saw first-hand what Serena and Venus Williams’ successes at the US Open had on tennis in the States.” He told Telegraph sport.

“They were game-changing for the sport. If Raducanu can build on the fantastic start to her tennis journey, why can’t her impact at Wimbledon and for Great Britain be similar?”

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Raducanu broke her duck and won her first WTA Tour match since her US Open success, as she beat Polona Hercog and made it to the quarter-finals of the Transylvania Open before eventually bowing out.

Despite the 18-year-old not repeating her US Open triumph, Haggerty believes that Raducanu will be able to build upon her early triumphs and transform tennis if she can be successful in Britian.

“As you saw with Andy Murray’s success at Wimbledon, performing in your own back yard brings heightened pressures and scrutiny. But it can also bring huge rewards – for the sport in the country and for the individual.” Haggerty said.

“I think it’s really important for British tennis to have its star players perform at Wimbeldon.”

Emma Raducanu celebrates with the US Open trophy

Image credit: Getty Images

Raducanu has yet to replicate her success from the US Open but Haggerty has backed to her to break new records for Britain.

“And don’t forget that Great Britain has never won the Billie Jean King Cup,” he added. “So, from an ITF perspective, we’d love to see her pull on Team GB’s red, white and blue in that event also.

I am very excited about what I think it can mean for Great Britain. First of all it has helped unlock some facilities for the sport, if someone from Bromley can go from taking her exams one week to being in the finals of a Grand Slam a couple of weeks later – that is tremendous.”

Raducanu plans to take a week off before contesting in the Linz Open which begins on November 6, as she looks to build upon an amazing year at such a young age.

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