Emma Raducanu says 'everyone should just be a little patient with me' ahead of Transylvania Open
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/10/2021 at 07:39 GMT
The world number 23 has asked for those following her progress to be “a little patient” as she prepares to face Slovenia's world number 124 Polona Hercog in the first round of the Translyvania Open on Tuesday. Raducanu reached the fourth round of Wimbledon and won the US Open this year, but is yet to win a match on the WTA tour.
Kate Middleton plays tennis with Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu has called for patience as she looks to build on her US Open triumph in the summer.
Raducanu stunned the tennis world by battling through qualifying to win the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows and is now seeking her first victory on the WTA tour having lost in the opening rounds in Nottingham, San Diego and Indian Wells.
The 18-year-old became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977, but insists she is not feeling the pressure to live up to any sort of expectation following her immense success.
"I don't think there is any pressure on me," the British number one said. "I feel like everyone should just be a little patient with me.
"I feel like I am the same person. I still go out there, approaching the same as before.
"I am really enjoying my tennis right now. I feel it will be in a great place. In the long term, I know it will be up and down, the past few weeks I have learned a lot about myself."
Raducanu is currently without a coach having parted ways with Andrew Richardson after winning the US Open and is now trialling Johanna Konta’s former coach Esteban Corril.
Corril is not in Cluj-Napoca with Raducanu this week. The teenager says she is learning to coach herself as she competes in the nation her father Ian was born in and where her grandmother lives.
Raducanu emphasised further the need to be given time to develop into a top tennis player.
She added: "I am really excited for the next chapter. This end of the season and the next year I can play on the tour, like a full year, and that is the most exciting thing.
"Patience is key. Because, as I said, there are a lot of lows, where you learn about your game. You adjust to each level gradually.
"I kind of went from zero to the top of the game. So, it's obviously going to take some time to adjust and adapt but hopefully with some good work I will be able to do that."
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