"I think she might surprise people" Annabel Croft backs Raducanu for big summer

Emma Raducanu is preparing to make her debut at the French Open and she is heading into the event in Paris with the backing of a former British No 1 propelling her ambitions.

Raducanu has faced a challenging year as she has attempted to find her feet on the WTA Tour after a breakthrough run to the fourth round of Wimbledon was backed up by her remarkable US Open win. Heading into the French Open Croft is backing the British player to surprise many people believing her to a big-stage player.

She said:

“I think she might surprise people. She is a big match player on the big stage. It is going to be difficult to cope with all the tension and pressure this summer, but she copes with it very well. She has not done too badly so far. She has lost some tight matches, but she has got through to some quarter-finals and it is tough for her with a target on her back, but she handles it so well. Everyone thinks it’s going to be tough for her, but I think she could cause a few surprises.”

Raducanu has become the focus of media attention in recent months after her heroics at the US Open and Croft experienced a similar burst of publicity at the start of her career, with off-court pressures adding to tension on it. She explained:

“It is hard. It depends on your personality how you cope with it and I don’t think I did cope with it very well, but I think she [Raducanu] does cope with it. She is so strong technically. When you have very few weakness that can break down, she can walk onto court and everything it quite natural for her. That is a huge bonus. She also moves so beautifully. Everything she does looks so effortless and stylish, she is a beautiful player to watch.”