Emma Raducanu, the 21-year-old tennis sensation, has come under fire from ATP Tour physical trainer Kieron Vorster for her questionable scheduling decisions and their impact on her career.
Despite her incredible achievement of winning the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has struggled with injuries, including a nine-month absence from the game last year due to severe wrist and ankle issues that required surgery.
She made her comeback at the ASB Classic in Auckland this year, showcasing flashes of brilliance, such as reaching the semifinals of the Nottingham Open and performing well at the Billie Jean King Cup.
However, her recent choices, particularly her lack of match play leading up to the US Open, have raised eyebrows. Raducanu did not compete for over three weeks prior to the tournament, opting out of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. This led to a first-round exit against Sofia Kenin, after which she admitted that her decision to limit match play was misguided and something she needed to learn from.
Attempting to correct her course, Raducanu scheduled a packed itinerary for the current Asian swing. She began strong at the Korea Open, winning her first two matches before retiring in her quarterfinal due to injury. Following this setback, she withdrew from the China Open due to a foot ligament sprain.
Vorster, who has trained players like Tim Henman and Dan Evans, expressed his lack of sympathy for Raducanu, emphasizing that training hard is not enough without sufficient match experience. He criticized her shortened schedule as “mind-blowing” and suggested that she may have too many people around her who are not offering constructive criticism.
“You need to get out there and play,” Vorster stated, pointing out that her abbreviated schedule defies common sense in the current competitive landscape.
He also noted that her early success at the US Open might have adversely influenced her decisions, leading her to miss significant tournaments like the French Open and the Olympics. At just 21, he believes her refusal to embrace such opportunities is perplexing and a mistake she should reconsider.
