Confident Emma Raducanu signs autographs for fans in Melbourne Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images
The events of the past two years have made many doubt Emma Raducanu's ability to return to the dizzying heights of her US Open success. But she is not going to join them. “Honestly, I think my level is too high to not be achieved if I consistently work together,” Raducanu told the assembled press on Friday.
For the record, 21-year-old Raducan has never lacked confidence. But the difficult experiences of her last two seasons would be enough to undermine the confidence of her most reliable player. After continuous injuries, unsuccessful performances, three operations and eight months of absence, she could be forgiven if doubts had crept into her head.
This is a rather optimistic comment, delivered with the charm that she has displayed for most of of her meetings with the media is exactly the approach Raducan should take in this third act of her still very short career.
This is true. It's not normal to hear athletes speak with such confidence about their abilities, let alone female athletes. It is even more rare to hear this from a player who has had so many setbacks due to injury, as well as scrutiny and skepticism about his future prospects.
Often athletes cling to clichés or evasive answers like “we’ll see.” what's going to happen,” at least in his public comments. Raducanu's confidence in her talent is a refreshing reminder that she is not your typical athlete.
Raducanu showed off her dazzling best at the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this month. Photo: AP/David Rowland
When Raducanu is fit and shooting, she can be relentless on the court and her crisp ball striking captivates crowds. Her way of thinking and intelligence is what many close to her say sets her apart from others, and despite the physical challenges she has faced, she does not seem to suffer from uncertainty about what this might mean for her. her abilities in the future.
< p>That doesn't mean she – or anyone else – is expecting huge success at the Australian Open these two weeks. Her goals are long-term, and the near future is the opportunity to compete consistently without injury.
The time away from the sport seems to have given her a new perspective and, speaking ahead of her first major tournament in a year, Raducanu spoke of the “gratitude” she takes in at the Australian Open. The past two years have taught her the importance of having the right people around her, she added, people with “good intentions.”
She has yet to develop the kind of stable, close social circle that other great champions often attribute their success to. However, this Australian Open could be a start. In Melbourne, she will be reunited on site by her mother Renee and children's coach Nick Cavaday, with whom she was reunited in December in the final stages of her rehabilitation.
Fitness is likely to be the main long-term issue for Raducanu. Photo: AP/Brett Phibbs
Her unconventional moves from coach to coach have been a huge stumbling block since her heroics in New York, but Raducanu appears more inclined to keep Cavadei part of her team beyond the Australian swing. We've seen her abruptly split with coaches in the past, and disputes over contract details have thwarted previous attempts to retain coaches, but perhaps this attempt could survive due to her shared history with Cavadei.
Do Not Hire full staff The strength coach, given the injuries she has sustained, is still somewhat baffling. Fitness will be the biggest test in these early days of the season and perhaps the biggest long-term obstacle to realizing the potential she has already shown. Whether she will regret this decision remains to be seen.
Raducanu still hasn't quite figured it all out, but at least she has that sparkle in her eyes and the sense of purpose that seemed to have wavered last time. the season seems to be back. This is an extremely positive sign. She shed the weight of the heady and unrealistic expectations that naturally accompany child prodigies. The “backpack of stones,” as she put it, is left behind in 2023.
All that remains for Raducan 3.0 is to show us what she can do, and we can only hope that the weaknesses of her body do not this. stand in the way.
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