Emma Raducanu has been a permanent fixture on the WTA Tour since her breakthrough in 2021, but the British star has revealed why she keeps her distance from the other players.
The 22-year-old is enjoying a mini-resurgence on tour after an impressive Wimbledon, followed up by two wins at the Washington Open.
Raducanu is teaming with Elena Rybakina in Washington, and she’s also set to be Carlos Alcaraz’s much-anticipated US Open partner.
However, Raducanu has confirmed she hasn’t got many friends on the tour and explained exactly why she likes to keep it that way.
Emma Raducanu finds it hard to compete against her friends
Raducanu believes being friends with other players in tennis makes it more difficult due to the hectic schedule meaning you’re likely to play against each other often.
“It’s very difficult to really open up with other players that you’re competing against,” revealed Raducanu at her Washington Open press conference (h/t TennisUpToDate).
I think for me, I have a few friends on the tour, but it does add another dimension when you play them,” the 2021 US Open champion added.
The star suggested she didn’t need friends on the tour due to the team she’s surrounded herself with outside of tennis.
“I have really good friends at home that I can trust and speak to,” said Raducanu. “For me, I just find it harder to compete against a person I’m friends with.”
Raducanu plays Naomi Osaka in the second round of the Washington Open, with the match set to play after 1pm US time.
Emma Raducanu’s predicted route to the Washington Open final
Raducanu already knows who she’ll play should she win her first-time-ever clash with Osaka at the Washington Open.
Former World No. 3 Maria Sakkari, who has received a wild card for the event, is waiting in the quarterfinal after she beat the number two seed Emma Navarro in the second round.
Raducanu’s most likely semi-final opponent would be World No. 19 Clara Tauson, who plays Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinal.
Raducanu could play her doubles partner Rybakina in the final, although she will likely need to beat Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula to secure a place in the final two.