Emma Raducanu is so often the subject of intense media limelight, and with that almost always comes scrutiny.
In fact, ever since she shot to superstardom in 2021, inexplicably winning the US Open as a qualifier, the expectations placed upon her have been impossible to live up to, and people have revelled in her struggles.
However, the 21-year-old has hardly helped herself this summer, with Raducanu pulling out of the Olympics before a fine run at Wimbledon saw her drop out of the mixed doubles with Andy Murray, effectively retiring him from the event.
Judy Murray was furious with Raducanu, understandably, but citing a focus on her fitness, most gave her a pass.
But with the US Open just around the corner, her latest actions have once again baffled the tennis world.
Tennis fans cannot believe what Emma Raducanu has done this summer
The latest on her summer plans comes courtesy of The Times, with journalist Stu Fraser claiming: ‘Emma Raducanu’s competitive preparations for the US Open have stalled after she turned down qualifying in both Toronto and Cincinnati. Instead she has been back in London practising, with no word on whether she will play Monterrey or Cleveland next week.’
Well, this has stunned many, who question what her plans actually are ahead of the final Grand Slam of the calendar year.
Her absence from the Olympics is a real point of contention now, with well-known tennis fan Pavvy G writing: ‘Didn’t she say she wasn’t playing in the Olympics so she could prepare for the US swing?’
Another tennis fan commented: ‘Cannot for the life of me understand the thinking behind this at all. Just absolutely bizarre all round’.
Emma Raducanu’s US Open preparation is in tatters
Having snubbed the Canadian Open and now the Cincinnati Open, not only is she sacrificing crucial opportunities to gain ranking points, but also the chance to challenge herself against the elites she will surely face in the US Open.
Given she has only played one tournament since Wimbledon, where Emma Raducanu impressed by reaching the Round of 16 before a shock defeat to Lulu Sun, many expected that some hard-court tournaments would be in order.
After all, her decision to forego the chance to play for Team GB in Paris was one that could only be justified by focusing on the hard-court swing of the tour.
However, instead it just seems like she has been practising in her own time rather than entering any meaningful competition other than the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
This could well backfire spectacularly in New York at the end of this month.
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