Emma Raducanu is out of Wimbledon in the third round, but should depart filled with so much confidence.
After all, she played exceptionally well throughout, including in yesterday’s crushingly close defeat to Aryna Sabalenka.
She led both sets yet failed to make her advantage pay, with these missed opportunities sure to keep Emma Raducanu up for the next few nights.
Alas, this has been yet another tournament of progression for the Brit, once again overseen by Mark Petchey.
The worry now is that her coach, who has been with her since Miami, might be set to depart just as they are starting to pick up steam…
Emma Raducanu delivers update on Mark Petchey’s future
Speaking at her post-match Wimbledon press conference, the 22-year-old admitted that, despite the success of her partnership with Petchey, it will not be easy to continue their working relationship.
After all, recent years have seen him focus more on punditry and commentary, and as such has made commitments that might prevent him from continuing to oversee the progression of Raducanu.
She told reporters: ‘‘Yeah, it’s very difficult. You know, he obviously has his commentating commitments, and he agreed to kind of help me until the end of Wimbledon and then we kind of see from there because he gave up some work to work with me here, which was, you know, I really appreciate and I’m grateful for.
‘That’s a conversation that we need to have, like, after a few days and the dust settles a little bit.’
Emma Raducanu pushed Aryna Sabalenka to the brink at Wimbledon
Realistically, Raducanu did enough to have stolen at least a set from Sabalenka in yesterday’s enthralling Wimbledon encounter.
However, it is just that inability to close out when she sneaks ahead that likely separates her from the very best in the sport at the moment.
Twice the 2021 US Open champion found herself a break up in both sets, and twice the Belarusian turned things around. In the first set, Raducanu actually served for it, yet would eventually lose it on a tiebreak.
Similarly, she was 4-1 up in the second, and yet lost five straight games to surrender the match.
The British number one pushed the world number one as hard as anyone has this week, and on another day could have even knocked her out.
If she can fine-tune those little issues, and regain some mental fortitude in the biggest moments, Raducanu will surely find herself back amongst tennis’ elite.
Especially after Sabalenka’s prediction for Raducanu’s future, which suggested as much.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
