Boris Becker has voiced his concern over the possible implications of Emma Raducanu’s decision to undergo a series of procedures on her body earlier this season.
Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, is currently sidelined from the Tour after opting to undergo three ‘minor’ surgeries on both of her hands, as well as her ankle, to solve a recurring injury. The Brit has been hindered by various setbacks ever since winning her maiden Grand Slam title in New York. Since the start of last year, she has suffered from blisters, leg cramping, back problems, rib pain, wrist pain, glute pain and at this year’s ASB Classic in Auckland she rolled her ankle.
Whilst Raducanu has played down the significance of her surgeries, seven-time Grand Slam champion Becker has told The Guardian that he has his reservations. Warning that there is no guarantee that a player who has gone through such procedures at her age could return to the Tour in the same form.
“The surgeries that she has had are, in my opinion, career-threatening,” Becker commented.
“Having surgery on your playing wrist, and as a two-handed player, the other wrist – and then on your ankle – is tough to bear for a young woman.”
It has been tough going for the 20-year-old since bursting onto the main stage of tennis. Raducanu is yet to play in another final since winning the US Open. Before deciding to take time off the Tour, she had only won five out of 10 matches played this year. Out of her last five tournaments played, she only won back-to-back matches in Indian Wells where she reached the fourth round before losing to Iga Swiatek.
“Tennis is a completely different game when you go into court and you have nothing to lose,” said Becker. “Anybody can play then. It’s a whole different sport when you become the hunted.”
Raducanu’s rollercoaster journey on the Tour has coincided with numerous changes in her team. Despite her young age, she has already worked at some point with coaches Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dimitry Tursunov and Sebastian Sachs.
Becker refuses to directly link Raducanu’s mixed results with her coaching changes. Instead, he points out that she has shown her ability to win a Grand Slam and is capable of doing so again in the future.
“I’m not in her inner circle so I don’t know all the things that went off, although I’ve seen the coaching changes. But as a young woman, all of a sudden being on top of the mountain, you have to really dig in and find the resources and the team around you to guide you through the next 10 years,” he said.
“It’s about mindset and talent, team, approach and circumstances. She’s not the first one who wasn’t able to do it. And she won’t be the last. But if she was good enough to win a grand slam [title] once, she’s good enough to win one again.”
Raducanu has already withdrawn from both the French Open and Wimbledon. She is aiming to return to action at some stage during the summer.
