Emma Raducanu: Why the US Open Champion might have a friend in Bianca Andreescu
The British women's tennis No 1, who has admitted she is still struggling with injury, was offered support by the former US Open teen Grand Slam winner.
Tennis
Emma Raducanu and Bianca Andreescu share more than just a talent for playing tennis.
Both were born outside Toronto in Canada and both share Romanian heritage. But the path the two have trodden to sporting stardom is also remarkably similar.
In 2019, Andreescu enjoyed a major breakthrough year, winning women's singles titles in Indian Wells and at the Canadian Open before defeating Serena Williams in the final at Flushing Meadows to be crowned a Grand Slam champion at just 19.
Thereafter Canadian Andreescu found herself struggling for form and with injuries slipping from a career-high No 4 in 2019 to falling outside of the top 40 three years later.
Like 22-year-old Andreescu, Briton Raducanu also had the world on notice in her teenage years following a string of breakout performances.
After a standout run at Wimbledon 2021, where she made the fourth round, Raducanu then became the first qualifier in history to win a grand slam after defeating Leylah Fernandez in the final of the 2021 US Open. She was 18 years old.
With a target on her back, the Brit then grappled with the unforgiving nature of the WTA Tour, with injury seeming to constantly hamper her progress as she dropped out of the top 50.
A meeting in Miami
The Pair's much-touted Miami Open meeting last week ended with 22-year-old Andreescu taking the win in three sets, 6-3 3-6 6-2, with 20-year-old Raducanu admitting afterwards that the wrist injury that has been plaguing her since last year flared up during the game, impacting her ability to play.
Andreescu’s own tournament run also ended up being cut short after injury.
During her fourth-round clash against Ekaterina Alexandrova the former US Open champ tore two ligaments in her ankle forcing her out of action for the foreseeable future.
One positive to come out of the tournament in Florida for the duo was uncovering that they were, in a way, kindred spirits.
Before the Canadian's own injury turmoil, Andreescu said she would be eager to speak with the Brit about their shared, roller-coaster experiences:
"I would love to talk to her about just like what happened after US Open," Andreescu said in a post-match interview.
"All the success, all the media stuff like that, how she dealt with it, how I dealt with it, how we can maybe help each other in that way.
“Also, I know that we both haven't been having, I guess, the results we wanted. I don't want to speak on behalf of her but I'm sure she wants to do better than she is. And maybe we could just kind of help each other out in that sense."
What's next for Emma Raducanu?
Support is something that Raducanu appears to be leaning into right now.
Following her loss to Andreescu, the Briton said she would take time out to reflect and figure out what her next steps are regarding her ongoing injury.
Already, Raducanu is set to miss Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against France next month (14-15 April), with the world No 72 explaining she had been advised not to switch surfaces on short notice to best manage her current injuries:
“Of course, I would love to play the Billie Jean King Cup," she said after the Miami exit.
“It's just this scenario is not the best for my body. I really need to look after myself and do what's best for me on the match court.”
That the wrist has returned to be such a problem will come as a blow for Raducanu who looked back to winning ways at Indian Wells earlier this month.
She took the scalps of 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette and 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia after dispatching her first-round opponent Danka Kovinic.
Although she was ultimately sent home from the tournament by world No 1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round, Raducanu appeared to have taken great strides in her game.
It is expected that British women's singles No 1 will appear at the Stuttgart Open, an indoor clay surface tournament, also penned for April provided her injury management is back on course.
She also raised hopes of her competing for Great Britain at the Paris 2024 Games, adding: “Of course, I would love to play the Olympics.”