Leylah Fernandez lends support to Emma Raducanu with rising expectation after early success

Canada’s young tennis star Leylah Fernandez has extended support to Britain’s Emma Raducanu after she admitted feeling ‘pressure’ to win big. The 21-year-old was once regarded as the next big thing when she lifted the US Open title in 2021 at 18. The most impressive aspect of that triumph was that Raducanu started the competition in the qualifying round.

Fernandez, who lost to Raducanu in the final of the US Open three years ago in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3, was recently quoted in a report in which she extended support to the young Brit who admitted to feeling ‘pressure’ after achieving something incredible at a young age.

“I can certainly understand what Emma’s been going through,” she said. “Sometimes you put extra pressure on yourself, because you did something incredible at such a young age. Then you’re expected to do it again and again. I’ve been trying to accept it. That’s the hardest part, you feel you’re accepting it, but in reality you’re butting heads all the time with the pressure you give yourself.”

Ever since lifting that title, not much has gone right for Raducanu. The 21-year-old has consistently struggled with fitness concerns and poor form. The Toronto-born star recently returned to the court earlier this year after recovering from a lengthy injury layoff. However, she has not been able to live up to the expectations.

She participated in the Australian Open where her journey came to an end in the second round as she lost to Wang Yafan with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. She recently skipped the second Grand Slam of the year — the French Open — because of fatigue.

Her best performance in 2024 came during the Billie Jean King Cup where she played a key role in helping Great Britian secure a place in the final round with a win over France. Raducanu’s most recent appearance came in the Nottingham Open where she lost in the semifinal to Katie Boulter with a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.