Emma Raducanu given brutal reality check by Martina Navratilova after US Open exit

Martina Navratilova has shared some harsh truths with Emma Raducanu after the Brit crashed out in the first round of the US Open. Raducanu has not won a match in Flushing Meadows since she made history in 2021, lifting the trophy as a qualifier. Navratilova now wants the former world No. 10 to step up and “take ownership” of herself and her career. Raducanu’s pre-US Open preparations were called into question when she started strong in Washington but then chose not to compete in the qualifying draws of the WTA 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati after failing to reach the main draw.

When she lost her opening match in New York, a tearful Raducanu confessed that she should have made different decisions with her schedule. “I would have preferred to probably play a little bit more coming into the US Open,” she said. Navratilova has now hit Raducanu with a reality check and told the 21-year-old to take charge before suggesting that she wasn’t “as fit as she could be”.

The retired tennis legend told Sky Sports: “I think Emma needs to take ownership of herself, of her brand, and of her tennis career most of all. She needs to be clear who her team is, what her goal is and not let herself off the hook.” The 18-time Grand Slam champion also used world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka as an example. “Aryna Sabalenka, when she had problems with her serve and everybody was trying to help her, she took ownership of it and fixed it herself,” she continued.

“Emma needs to be in charge and she’s old enough to know what she should be doing – surround herself with good people and then trust in them, and give it time so that you can see the results.” Raducanu also missed the Olympics to have more time to prepare on the American hard courts and said she had to think of her body, avoiding the quick change from grass to clay to hard. But Navratilova questioned whether she could physically deal with stress.

She added: “Technically she is great, but she needs more matchplay. I still don’t think she is as fit as she should be. I feel like if you don’t want to play the Olympics because it’s a different surface, you need to fix your body. Maybe it’s just not equipped for this kind of stress. She needs to think long-term… not tomorrow or next week.”