Jo Konta: Emma Raducanu should not be put under pressure this campaign despite US Open win
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Published 15/01/2022 at 18:53 GMT
Jo Konta spent more than a decade on the professional tennis circuit and spoke to Eurosport about Britain's new great hope, Emma Raducanu. She believes that the teenager should use her first full campaign to adjust to life on the road and to gain experience ahead of what could be a successful career.
Emma Raducanu during a practice session earlier this week
Image credit: Getty Images
Former British tennis number one Jo Konta thinks there should be no expectations on Emma Raducanu as she approaches her first full season despite her US Open win.
Raducanu announced herself on the world stage with her fourth round finish in 2021’s Wimbledon before winning her first Grand Slam in New York later in the season. However she has since struggled to find the same form as she adjusts to the professional circuit full time.
However, Konta does not think she should use her first run at a complete season for anything other than a chance to gain experience.
“Expectations are a funny thing. For her, she’s also mentioned this,” she said of the 19-year-old. “It’s about her finding her feet on this tour. This will be her first full tour. Hopefully she’ll stay injury free to maximise this tour. She’s in a really fortunate position.
Her masses of points are at the end of the season so she has a season to garner experience against top players week in, week out. That’s her biggest goal - to just play, and establish herself physically and mentally in the tour she wants to play for the next decade. She’s got a tough first round [against Sloane Stephens in the Australian Open] and it's a good test.
“I think for her it's taking each tournament at a time. You can see on her face she’s enjoying it.”
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