Emma Raducanu has been slammed in an interview with British tennis legend, Ann Jones for her continued chopping and changing of coaches going into her comeback in 2024.
Raducanu burst onto the scene back in 2021 at Wimbledon before winning the US Open as an unheralded qualifier. She did not lose a set in all ten matches in Flushing Meadows. But due to a myriad of injuries and also external pressures, her form has nosedived and she has had most of the season off injured.
Many also point to Andrew Richardson who coached her at the US Open being ditched so soon, Jones is one of those who was vehemently against that change and believes she should've found her own answers.
"Well, what did she think we all did? We had to find our own answers. You have to work at things yourself. To fire a coach after she had just won the US Open was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard," said Jones to the Daily Mail.
Doubts whether Raducanu can return to the top
She continued that she doubts whether or not Raducanu can return to that level due to her game style and she believes the way she hits the ball is the reason she is getting injured.
But also it is about a nation that expects and Jones said Britain needs a champion with hopes long pinned on players who ultimately don't make it or those who do like Andy Murray and now Raducanu having pressure from all corners being heaped on them due to the inability to produce regular champions.
"Life is about momentum. If you’ve got the momentum, you have to take advantage of it and carry on. You’ve got a natural game. What you need to do is to improve what you have got. You don’t have coaches come along and change your game."
"The results are clear. You get injured, because it’s not natural for you to hit the ball in that way. It was natural to hit it the way you hit it in the first place. How do you recover your natural game after it has been changed? It’s very difficult to find what you had before. I think she’s really enjoyed winning and I don’t think she wants to lose now. It’s a waste and we could do with a champion here."