"Naomi Osaka put pride on the side": Emma Raducanu recent qualifying snubs questioned by Andy Roddick
WTA
Emma Raducanu has been questioned for her decision not to attempt to qualify for the Cincinnati Open in the build up for the US Open by Andy Roddick.
Raducanu will face off against Sofia Kenin and has only played three matches since Wimbledon, having skipped the Olympic Games and also the Canadian Open. She was said to have rejected the chance to take part in qualifying for the Cincinnati Open instead opting for a training block ahead of her return to Flushing Meadows.
Roddick has explained that he was unsure why Raducanu chose not to qualify for the Cincinnati Open when Naomi Osaka who is a multiple time Grand Slam champion compared to Raducanu who has only won one. She played qualifying in Cincinnati and was perhaps one of the biggest names ever to play qualifying.
"I loved what she was building through Washington and then she decided she wasn’t going to play qualifiers in any of the tournaments, which is even stranger when you see someone like Naomi Osaka put pride on the side and go play qualifiers in Cincinnati.
"Those of us questioning that decision maybe felt validated once we see someone like an Osaka go play qualifying. So, we don’t know, I loved what Raducanu was building at Wimbledon. I loved the continuation of that in Washington."
John McEnroe was more scathing of her in a recent interview saying that he was struggling to see what was going on with Raducanu and where she is mentally.
"Sometimes I see her and it looks like she is heading back towards the top of the game and then other times I’m a bit befuddled about what’s going on," he explained.
"I’m not close to her team and what is going on, but I hope she is healthy. There were a couple of matches at Wimbledon and she looked really good and then in the last one, she looked really shaky. It’s hard to know what to say about her. I don’t really know.
"She is certainly in a better space and healthier than she was a year ago, so that’s good, but I don’t know where she is mentally. Does she have that absolute belief and commitment to win something big again or be in the top 10? That I can’t say."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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