The fairytale run produced by Emma Raducanu at the US Open is one that is unlikely to be repeated again, according to former world No.2 Alex Corretja.
The 18-year-old has stunned the world of tennis by coming through three rounds of qualifying before going on to win her maiden title at the age of 18. In the process, she defeated two top 20 players and didn’t drop a single set in 10 matches played at the tournament. Raducanu is the first-ever qualifier to win the US Open and the first woman to win a major title in just her second main draw appearance.
“What she did is unique, we’ve never had it before. She was very aggressive from the beginning and then she dealt very well with the pressure as well, serving for the match, a lot of nerves. At the end she showed she was ready and made it 10 matches in a row,” Corretja told Eurosport.
“I don’t think we will see this again from a player from the qualifiers, not losing games, sets. That’s something superior that Emma did very well. It’s such great news for tennis, women’s tennis and sports in general.
“She was so far down in the rankings but has raced through. The fact that she is very young shows she is fearless and just goes for it. It’s not just like she went on the court, she knew the tactics and did it perfectly.”
Raducanu’s triumph is remarkable considering her lack of experience on the WTA Tour where she is yet to register a main draw win or play a tournament on the clay. However, many pundits are tipping her to have a stellar career as long as she remains injury-free.
Mats Wilander has gone as far as saying the youngster has the ability to win around 10 major tournaments over the coming years. A bold prediction considering only five women has managed to do that in the Open Era.
“It’s hard to say how many more [grand slams] but I think she’s going to win at least a few more,” said Wilander, who won seven major titles himself.
“I could say, I think she’s going to win ten because she’s so complete and she is going to have a chance in Australia because her game is perfect for hard court.
“But it’s also perfect for Wimbledon with being able to move like she does and that serve is going to be great for grass. If nothing bad happens to her physically, then yes; multiple grand slam champion Emma Raducanu.
“She has a team around her that really seems to gel. She has so much fun, she’s in a good place with good people around.”
Tim Henman watched Raducanu win the US Open from the sidelines after following all of her matches whilst reporting for Amazon Prime. He has been described by the rising star as one of her inspirations and provided her with some advice during the tournament.
‘She’s gonna win more of these – she’s that good,’ Henman stated on Amazon Prime.
‘This is not some flash in the pan fairytale. She’s playing top five tennis right now, the world is going to go absolutely crazy – it’s going to get turned upside down but she’s got good people around her.
‘She’s going to have to soak it up, make adjustments, but it’s gonna be one hell of a ride for a long time – as long as she can stay injury free.’
Former British No.1 Laura Robson says the most impressive aspect in Raducanu’s meteoric rise has been her ability to learn from her experiences so quickly. Robson was once one of the most promising players in women’s tennis and reached a ranking high of 27th before injury curtailed her career.
“There are so many sliding doors moments. Before Wimbledon Emma didn’t have a main draw wild card. Would she be in this position if they hadn’t upgraded it? Would this happen if she hadn’t had to retire from the fourth round with breathing problems. The amount she learned from that experience is what has got her to this moment,” She told BBC Radio 5.
“She played an almost perfect performance in her first Grand Slam final. You have to think there will be so many more.”
Looking ahead to the coming months, Australia’s Pat Cash believes she will be one the favorites on the Tour to win big titles.
“Raducanu is going to be one of the favourites for the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She is going to be an absolute mega star and rightly so the way she hits the ball, her composure and way she can continue to improve,” he commented on the BBC.
Channel 4 broadcasted the women’s final on free-to-air TV after securing a last-minute deal with Amazon Prime who has exclusive rights. The broadcast attracted a peak audience of 9.2M on the channel which was a 39.9% share of the total audience and 48% of 16-34 year olds.
SEE ALSO: Emma Raducanu Says Mental Toughness Was Her ‘Biggest Triumph’ In Historic US Open Run
