Emma Raducanu makes ‘impatience’ confession as tennis star prepares for US Open – ‘Biggest downfalls’

Emma Raducanu has confessed she feels her ‘impatience’ is one of her biggest ‘downfalls’ as she prepares to play at the US Open later this month.

The 21-year-old stunned the world when she won at Flushing Meadows back in 2021, beating Leylah Fernandez in the final.

Ever since, Raducanu has often struggled to stay fit with injuries hampering her development.

She appears to have finally turned a corner, with the tennis sensation showing glimpses of her best form so far this year at tournaments such as Wimbledon, the Citi Open and Eastbourne International.

Raducanu will be hoping to summon some magic when she participates at the US Open later this month.

And, speaking to Marie Claire magazine, she’s now confessed that her ‘impatience’ can sometimes be her downfall.

“I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt in terms of injury recovery is not to rush back,” said the Briton.

“My impatience is probably one of my biggest downfalls because I basically rushed the process of my recovery, and set myself back many months.

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“Instead of taking me four months to return to play, it took me eight.

“And it took me seven months without hitting balls, when I should have been hitting balls after a month-and-a-half.

“So I think having people who are really strict with you in coming back from injury is important.

“People who are literally counting every shot that you hit and making it really scientific, not just on feeling, because sometimes your mind overtakes your body, and by pushing more you’re actually setting yourself back.”

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Winning Grand Slams is the biggest achievement for a tennis player.

But Raducanu, for now, is just focused on staying fit and enjoying her tennis.

She admits she’d love to win Wimbledon one day, something no female British player has done since Ann Jones in 1969.

And Raducanu is also keen to make the most of her career, knowing her time at the top could be limited.

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“Long term, I want to win Wimbledon. That’s my number one goal,” she added.

“But in the short term, I just want to keep staying healthy and improving my skills. Working on the actual development of them rather than any immediate results – that’s my priority right now.

“I think it’s very easy in tennis to panic, and I’m guilty of it.

“You feel like you only have 10 years of your career ahead of you, and that it’s going to be over before you know it.

“Sometimes 21 feels so old, and then I remember that in the timeline of my career I still have 10 years of slams ahead of me – even 15 if I really want.

“And while it goes by very quickly, I’ve only had three years on tour so far, so there’s a lot more learning and developing to do.”