"I can't tell if she will be a world-beater" says Nick Bollettieri on Emma Raducanu

The British player dominated her way towards the final where she bested Leylah Fernandez who already bested several notable players before that. Top coach Nick Bollettieri who worked with ten number one's in his career said:

"I’ve worked with 10 tennis players who have been world No 1 and won dozens of Grand Slam singles titles between them. Suffice to say I know what it takes to become a serial Slam champion, and what magical blend is needed of raw talent, work ethic, physical ability, mental toughness, application and unquenchable desire to do better. Britain’s smiling meteor, Emma Raducanu, won the US Open this month at a canter, but can I pronounce her an all-time great in the making? Holy mackerel, no! Sport is so much more complex."

Bollettieri would not commit to pronouncing her the next tennis superstar like many did but he was thoroughly impressed by what he saw in New York. He explained:

“Emma’s mental control throughout her unprecedented feat was marvellous. She didn’t crack. She smiled and prevailed. Her versatility was notable. The game is no longer just about keeping the ball in play, it’s about changing up, reacting to the strength in depth of the opposition. You have to come forward, you can no longer win with one style."

He continued:

“Emma does all the basics well, but eye-catching was her remarkable footwork. That’s the bedrock for everything else. Roger Federer has sublime talent and shots but the bedrock is in the footwork. Watch it, but you’ll need slo-mo."

Bollettieri also expressed the need for people to be realistic saying:

“Raducanu’s next tournament, and next Slam, will be telling. We’ll see how she copes with fame, and having done something nobody has ever done before, and expectations she’ll keep doing it. I can’t tell you with any honesty I know she’ll be a world-beater. I see the potential, and all sorts of positives, and I hope she continues to soar. But go easy, and let her breathe. Let her find her way."