Many tennis players’ internal battles, such as anxiety and nervousness, are hidden beneath the surface of assurance and composure. Coming forward and talking about their struggles on a platform as global and big as the world of professional tennis is commendable and inspiring. The 20-year-old Brit, Emma Raducanu was hailed for the same by 4-time Olympic medalist English swimmer Rebecca Adlington.
Adlington praised the 20-year-old in an interview with Express.co.uk. She appreciated her for having the courage to speak up and breaking the stigma of athletes keeping quiet about their challenges. Rebecca can relate to Emma’s troubles because she has experienced anxiety and panic episodes. In the past, Emma withdrew from Wimbledon at the age of 18 due to breathing issues.
“It has been extremely brave of her to come out and say what she’s going through,” remarked the 34-year-old swimmer. The Olympic gold medalist revealed her own struggles with anxiety. She told how there were times when she couldn’t even walk, let alone perform at her best.
“I think, with Emma, she’s been really honest and open about [her anxiety] and I think that’s the best advice,” Adlington explained.
In the past, Raducanu has acknowledged that she often regrets winning the US Open almost two years ago. She revealed how she attaches her self-worth to her achievements which gave birth to the anxiety the 20-year-old now struggles with. She admitted how hard it gets for a player exposed to such a large public at an international level.
Agent of Emma Raducanu opens up about her criticism regarding sponsorships
The likes of Nike and Porsche have offered Raducanu significant sponsorship deals. According to estimates, Raducanu’s current sponsorship income totals up to $10 million. However, having massive brands support her has been questioned recently as the young Brit hasn’t clinched any significant wins yet.
Some think the 20-year-old’s difficulties since winning the US Open nearly two years ago are a result of her focus on sponsorship opportunities. However, her agent Max Eisenbud disregarded such remarks. He disclosed that they deliberately chose the best companies with the shortest window of opportunity, the ones that knew the path ahead would be difficult.
Max revealed how her sponsor brands have been very supportive. They have never called up to interrogate the young star for the continuous defeats. He noted that it takes greatness to accomplish what she achieved; one does not simply win the US Open in the manner which she did.
Three operations later, Emma Raducanu is back at practice 🙌
We hope to see her back on top in 2024!
(🎥 @EmmaRaducanu) pic.twitter.com/eq4gF9QVKr
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) August 2, 2023
The 20-year-old hasn’t participated in a tournament since April. During that time, she underwent surgery on each of her wrists and one of her ankles. The Brit hopes to return to the court as soon as possible; therefore, Raducanu has since shared a video of herself striking some balls.
