Emma Raducanu

[AfricanBluebird]

Re: Emma Raducanu

I agree.

Although I soon gave up on Bolton v Burton, I was switching around between football, golf (Solheim Cup) and tennis last night, but watched much of Radacanu's game. In the first couple of games Martin Navratalova was saying it was adrenalin that was making Emma hit balls a bit too long and that she should soon settle down. She was right and once that happened, it was a bit of a massacre - she is thrashing top fifty players in this tournament and the question now is has she got it in her to beat top ten players? Based on what we've seen in the past ten days or so, the answer is, almost certainly, yes.

That said, although you have players like Serena Williams who is on a par with the greats the men's game has seen over the last fifteen years or so, women's tennis during that time is a little like that Andy Warhol thing about everyone having fifteen minutes of fame. I don't pay attention to tennis enough to be sure of this, but it seems to me that there have been plenty of women players who've enjoyed a great run to win or be runner up in a Grand Slam final and then they disappear back into, relative, obscurity, so I suppose Radacanu could be another one of those - although to hear Martina talking last night, she clearly doesn't think so.

That's a very well observed point. I do follow tennis and even play a bit. But women's tennis certainly suffers more than the mens game from women becoming prominent for a season or two and then falling down the rankings. I could go on to speculate about that and the reasons for it, but let's hope Radacanu rises and stays at the top for a long time. Navratilova is one of the most thoughtful commentators on tennis.

[Trigger]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Difficult to say how much further she can go this year but her potential is phenomenal given the two runs she has had in her first two slams.

This one now into the 3rd week given she had to qualify first.

It's impressive.

The way women's tennis seems to work, if she can be in and around the top 20 then you have a decent chance of doing something at the slams, particularly with Serena missing more.

I'm assuming the men's game would be fairly similar if we didn't have the absolute dominance from 3 players over the last 10 years or so.

[Rjk]

Re: Emma Raducanu

she's still very new, I guess sooner or later people will work out more effective ways to play against her, the. it's whether she can adapt her game to counteract that.
exciting times though, up against the Olympics gold medal winner next

[Bald Barry Bastad]

Re: Emma Raducanu

I think we need to move on from truly 'Welsh' or truly 'British' type discussions.

If she qualifies for Britain and feels like committing to Britain, then let he play.

Wales have benefitted from people in Britain who could have qualified for the home nations and picked us.

My kids qualify for Uganda and Wales (and England) - my son would choose Uganda and my girls Wales. Families are moving around more nowadays and marriages and heritages of people more and more mixed. Where someone belongs is becoming less about where that person was born. My youngest daughter was born in Cardiff but lived there for only 18 months - and yet at 14 she feels more of a connection to Cardiff than the other two.

While of course someone can't pick a random country because they played Risk or watched a youtube video, but let's give people more freedom to choose and as long as they can demonstrate a connection to the country, let them get on with it.

As for Emma, she's brilliant. Really great technique and quick around the court.

We've had this conversation before and rightly so with the likes of Rudeski and Konta but this girl has been living in the UK since the age of 2. What nationality would anyone expect her to feel other than British?

[life on mars]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Clever girl got a few, A+ A levels as well , one being maths , born in Canada to Chinese mum and Romanian dad , who are economists I think ,they must be very proud , she is only 18

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Just taken the first set in her Quarter Final.

[Elwood Blues]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Just taken the first set in her Quarter Final.

from 0-2 and 1-3 down as well

[Elwood Blues]

Re: Emma Raducanu

6-3 6-4

[MacAdder]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Straight sets win. Fantastic!

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Emma Raducanu

First ever qualifier to reach a Semi Final.

She’s sounding pretty overwhelmed in her post match interview, but, on court, she’s 18 going on 30 - Mary Joe Fernandez said it was the performance of the tournament so far.

[Vindec]

Re: Emma Raducanu

First ever qualifier to reach a Semi Final.

She’s sounding pretty overwhelmed in her post match interview, but, on court, she’s 18 going on 30 - Mary Joe Fernandez said it was the performance of the tournament so far.

Martina Navratalova was raving about her yesterday.

[goats]

Re: Emma Raducanu

She’s looking good semi final us open

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Re: Emma Raducanu

Superb performance again.

[Shrewsbury Blue]

Re: Emma Raducanu

With Barty Osaka and Williams out she could actually win it.

[rich munn]

Re: Emma Raducanu

First ever qualifier to reach a Semi Final.

She’s sounding pretty overwhelmed in her post match interview, but, on court, she’s 18 going on 30 - Mary Joe Fernandez said it was the performance of the tournament so far.

This girl featured on the cover of Vogue this week.

That must have been prepared some time ago

If that hasn't turned her head, she is a very composed young lady!

I hope she goes on and wins the tournament but in any event she has a great future.