Emma Raducanu’s childhood rival responds to Brit’s ‘unfortunate’ criticism – EXCLUSIVE | Tennis | sport

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Emma Raducanu’s childhood rival Sonay Kartal has given her take on the criticism the 20-year-old has faced since her historic victory at the US Open 2021. The British No.7 discussed exclusively of his old foe’s rise with Express Sport and praised Raducanu for inspiring his peers.

Before Raducanu made tennis history as the first-ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam trophy at the 2021 US Open, she was battling with fellow Briton Kartal in youth tournaments as the pair s faced in the final almost every week during their childhood. The duo have gone their separate ways as they head to the professional circuit after the current world number 206 was hampered by injuries, but they reunited earlier this year at the Billie Jean King Cup and have maintained a good relationship, both training at the National Tennis Center. the offseason.

Having known the UK No.1 for years, the Brighton local had her own thoughts on seeing her former rival’s every move put under a microscope and hitting back at Raducanu’s criticism by suggesting the US winner Last year’s Open could rise above the noise. “I think obviously with what she’s done she’s obviously now in the spotlight and I think being so young it’s probably something that she hasn’t really had the cameras on her. like she does now,” the 21-year-old exclusively shared. Express Sport.

“I think it’s definitely difficult for her and everything she does, there’s an opinion.” One aspect of her game that the world No. 76 has come under fire for is her record with coaches, as she recently appointed her fifth coach in the space of 18 months after signing Sebastian Sachs on a trial period.

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There have been constant rumors that Raducanu’s family are behind the decision-making, are hard to please and blunt with their decision to quickly remove non-working coaches, but Kartal dismissed the idea that the youngster from 20 year old had a poor support system. . The six-time ITF champion added: “I’ve seen her team, I know they have very good people around them who help them, support them.

“So I think given what she’s done, it was expected that she would be criticized on everything. But I think she’s just going to get used to it and get used to people watching it 24/7 trying to choose something It’s a part of sport isn’t it, it’s a part of anything So it’s unfortunately the one of the factors to be a top level tennis player.

The 21-year-old also shared what it was like to finally reunite with her old foe earlier this year, when Kartal and Raducanu were first called up to the British BJK Cup squad in their match. qualification in Prague. “Yeah, I think when we split at 13, 14 I had bad luck with injuries so I hadn’t seen her for years,” the UK No7 explained.

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“So the BJK Cup was the first time I really saw her because she wasn’t playing and I was doing my other things, trying to get healthy again, so it was really nice to see her then and just a sort of catch-up.” And Kartal also said she was one of many players inspired by Raducanu’s unprecedented victory at last year’s US Open after revealing her goal for 2023 was to break into the world’s top 100 after to have gone from No. 864 to No. 199 in the space of 10 months this season.

Giving his take on Raducanu’s 10-game run to the US Open title through qualifying, Karta said: “I think his story last year was amazing and I think he inspired so many people. between us, knowing that it was someone who was our age, who was at a similar ranking at the time.

“And if she can go out there and do it, it’s totally doable and obviously it’s very daunting knowing that you have to go through qualifying and do all kinds of things, but yeah, I think she’s inspired a lot of young girls, but she also inspired her peers.”

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