Emma Raducanu says she needs a ‘bulletproof’ mentality to succeed
Serena Williams’ former coach Rick March has told Emma Laducanu that she needs to become mentally “bulletproof” if she wants to reach her potential.
In 2021, Raducanu took the tennis world by storm by winning the US Open, becoming the first-ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam.
Since then, her career has taken a nosedive and she is currently injured following wrist and ankle surgery.
However, she is aiming to return in early 2024 and many experts have been lining up to tell her that she needs to make sure her body is strong enough to cope with life on the WTA Tour.
March believes where Raducanu needs to be strong the most, though, is mentally, especially given the added pressure her incredible U.S. Open victory put on her.
“She should want the pressure,” March told The Daily Telegraph. “You go through all this training to be a professional and hopefully be the best in the world. She has to be able to handle what comes with that.
Emma Raducanu: How was her injury? When will she return to tennis?
“She has to be prepared to deal with the media. If she sometimes wishes she hadn’t won the U.S. Open because of the stress it puts on mentally and physically, it goes both ways.
“It’s not going to work if she’s going to hear every little thing about her, you have to be invulnerable. “You need the ability to forget as much as the ability to remember, and she has to learn from the adversity she faces. “
Did quitting tennis help Emma Raducanu?
Since winning the 2021 U.S. Open, Emma Raducanu has spent more time away from the WTA Tour than she has spent on it.
She is currently ranked 294th in the world and has only competed in 7 tournaments and 10 tournaments in 2023.
However, March believes he could ultimately be a positive influence on Raducanu, as she will have enough time to evaluate her game and mature away from the spotlight.
“It’s good to have time to reflect, like Osaka did before getting pregnant after her early success in her career,” March said. “But it takes time to work on things like footwork and technique, and it takes time to build confidence.
Another week 🙏 #progress pic.twitter.com/bDYLe8CQDB
— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) October 28, 2023
“She’s maturing, and by taking time out, she can see that the people around her are maturing in what she expects of them and what she expects of herself. The good news is she’s young and it’s a long-term process that you don’t start with place, but where you end up.
“It will be interesting to see how things develop. I know when you qualify and win a Grand Slam without losing a set, there is something special between your ears – and a lot of it The game is all between the ears.
“She has to have a mature mentality and it’s important to have the right people around her. If she wants to be with the best in the world, you have to give it your all or you’re out.”
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