Raducanu's withdrawal. What can we learn from this?

Emma Raducanu

Peasblossom I was thinking Covid too perhaps but who knows. They have all been in bubble in a hotel.
I think possibly a result of enormous pressure put upon her contributed and I do think the timing and wait she had can’t have helped. I’m sure it will be addressed by her team and she will bounce back.
Re John McEnroe I think he put it harshly and could have worded it better but the point is if she wants to further a tennis career she will have to get used to the pressures of the game. Easy for us watching to say but I really wish her well for the future.

Yes grandma and bluebell. The media pressure was intense and particularly the BBC. I usually enjoy listening to Sue Barker but she really was completely ‘over the top’ in her expectations re Emma. This always happens when we get a Brit who does well at Wimbledon. The expectations on the player are ridiculously high and need to stop. Emma Raducanu played brilliantly but she is only 18 years old. She should not be expected to play under this kind of pressure. Also I think starting the match at 8pm was unfair to both players.

I think the press are largely to blame for her undoing and I include the BBC coverage in this. They all went completely overboard and intruded on her and her families life. She was being hailed as the saviour of England/UK’s female tennis. They did what they usually do and pulled every aspect of her life into the public view. I am not surprised that she crumpled when you add all the hooha to the stress of going so far in the competition, the atmosphere on court, the noise etc. Then there is also the social media pressure and critics who sit and pontificate and pick her life, attitude and ability to bits. No matter how good you are at a sport and think that you can cope with the added pressures, it is not until they actually happen to you, can you find out what it is actually like.
I just hope that she is not put off the sport and manages to recoup and go on. She is only young and I hope she gets good support.

Far too much pressure was put on her by the media. Yes, she’s good - but that doesn’t mean she is an instant champion and the answer to British tennis’s prayers. Leave the poor girl alone.

I won’t speculate on the reasons for her withdrawing, as the facts aren’t known.
But I think she is a good player, who hopefully will continue and eventually be a Wimbledon champion.
I hope she makes a full recovery soon.

All these complicated explanations. She is young she is inexperienced. She did fabulously well to get as far as she did, but she made a miscalculation/did something wrong/ the pressure of the event got to her. It is what you do at her age and with her lack of experience, whether you are a he she or whatever.

Whatever the mistake she will not make it again.

Her name is Emma Raducanu. I felt sorry for her as she had such a long wait all day until the start of the match close to 8 pm last night. I do hope she learns from this experience and comes back fighting.

She looked to me like someone who was flooded with adrenaline having been waiting all day to play, the pressure must have been enormous. More experienced athletes can cope with this but it does take experience. I thought she did well and next year she will be much more in tune with herself.

Maybe.

I can remember Bjorn Borg at the start of his career, at Wimbledon, totally giving up and hitting every ball out of court to end the match.

My first thought was she had had Covid, without knowing and the effects only showing under pressure.