US Open tennis 2021 – ‘So many similarities!’ – British teenager Emma Raducanu compared to Novak Djokovic

ByBen Snowball

Updated 08/09/2021 at 20:16 GMT

"She’s flexible, she’s strong, hits the ball in the middle of the racket just like a certain Serbian player going for the calendar Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic," said Wilander as he heaped praise on the 18-year-old. Raducanu is yet to drop a set in the US Open after again recovering from a slow start to blow away her opponent.

Emma Raducanu has “so many similarities” with 20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, according to Eurosport expert Mats Wilander.

The teenager booked a place in the US Open semi-finals with a dominant 6-3 6-4 win over Olympic champion Belinda Bencic as her brilliant breakout summer, which started with a run to the Wimbledon fourth round, continued.

She was ranked 10th in Britain and 338th in the world on the eve of SW19, but now sits on the cusp of the world’s top 50 and is already guaranteed the British number one spot.

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The 18-year-old is the first British woman to reach the last four since Jo Durie in 1983 – and the first ever qualifier to do so.

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Wilander picked out Raducanu’s serve and movement as her biggest assets before comparing her to one of the sport’s biggest names.

“I think we have to start talking about Emma Raducanu’s serve a little bit more because at 18 years old, to have a serve like that is very unusual,” said the seven-time Grand Slam winner.

“It’s unusual to have the motion and the strength, but it’s also unusual to know where she needs to serve. She serves placement wise, at the right time, at the right moment. So an unbelievably mature serving performance.

“Her movement, especially out to the backhand side, is just incredible. She’s flexible, she’s strong, hits the ball in the middle of the racket just like a certain Serbian player going for the calendar Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic. There are so many similarities.

“And the forehand is still a little bit of a weakness, but she found a way to work around that and that’s what’s so impressive.”

Emma Raducanu celebrates

Image credit: Getty Images

Raducanu will face fourth seed Karolina Pliskova or 17th seed Maria Sakkari in the last four.

“It is unbelievable,” continued Wilander.

“You can tell that she’s won seven matches because her confidence level is so high.

“She got a horrific start, she wasn’t playing well at all for the first 15-20 minutes and somehow to pull it out against an Olympic gold medallist as simply as she did? I’m very impressed.”

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