Emma Raducanu’s 2024 has been littered with impressive performances and underwhelming losses, such is the inconsistency of such a tumultuous campaign.
After all, she is only just really returning from injury, having missed the bulk of 2023 following surgery on both wrists and her ankle.
These are not the kind of procedures that one can simply move on from with ease. So, it is understandable that she is taking plenty of time to recapture her level.
Well, her form has still drawn praise even if she has won just six of the 11 matches played in 2024, with one notable name in tennis now predicting huge things.
Rick Macci on Emma Raducanu’s Grand Slam chances
Speaking to Sportskeeda earlier this week, Rick Macci, who is probably most famous for coaching stars like Venus and Serena Williams, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, gave his verdict on Raducanu.
As someone who knows what a title-winner looks like, arguably better than anyone, the comments he has made should stand the 21-year-old in good stead for the rest of her career.
He noted: ‘You don’t lose the skill, but you kind of lose the will and I don’t know what’s in her head. But, when she plays every point like it’s her last breath and she’s the ultimate competitor, I can see.
‘I said it before she’ll be top 10 in the world by the end of 2025. Once you get in that top 10, you can beat anybody anytime anywhere and I really believe that she can win Grand Slams again.’
High praise indeed, and something that should elevate Raducanu’s expectations even further after an impressive week where she has already overcome Angelique Kerber with remarkable ease.
This is not the first coach we have seen speak out of late too, with Paul Annacone, who once oversaw Roger Federer’s develpoment, recently passing comment on Carlos Alcaraz.
Emma Raducanu has already proven her title-winning pedigree
As someone who oversaw the early development of the legendary Williams sisters, Macci is certainly in a good place to comment on Raducanu.
After all, she is still so young, and still has so much to learn.
Fortunately, she is not burdened by the pressure of claiming that first Grand Slam, as she accomplished that feat as a teenager back in 2021.
There, starring at Flushing Meadows, she stormed to the title and announced herself as a superstar in the making.
And whilst she is yet to build on that, with that US Open triumph still her only career title, it mustn’t be forgotten just how young she still is.
There is plenty of time for her to fulfil this potential pushed upon her after that out-of-the-blue spectacle in New York. Just give her time, as Macci states.
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