Raducanu tiwala na kaya niyang bumalik sa pagiging No. 1

Tiwala ang dating US Open champion na si Emma Raducanu na makababalik pa siya sa pagiging No. 1 at sinabing “my level is just too good not to come through,” habang tinatarget ang Australian open title.

Ginulat ng British player ang tennis world nang magwagi siya sa Flushing Meadows noong 2021 bilang qualifier, pero isang beses lamang siyang nakarating sa fourth round ng isang Grand Slam.

Ang 21-anyos ay umakyat sa rank 299th sa buong mundo, makaraan ang walong buwang pagpapahinga dahil sa tinamong ankle at wrist injuries.

Subalit tiwala ito na kung magiging “consistent” siya, ay makababalik siya sa pagiging No. 1.

Ayon kay Raducanu, “Success to me in the long-term is, for the rest of the year, to play a full season, to be healthy throughout, to be able to train consistent weeks. I know my level is there, I just need to keep working on it to make it more consistent.”

Dagdag pa niya, “I think that will come with time in the gym, time on court, being able to play the calendar, not thinking ‘Will I have to pull out from this one? Does that hurt?’ Just being able to go consistently throughout the year. I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”

Si Raducanu, na binatikos dahil sa pag-aalis at pagpapalit ng kanyang coaching team, ay muling nakipagkita sa kaniyang childhood coach na si Nick Cavaday habang naghahanda siya para sa kanyang opening match sa Melbourne laban sa American na si Shelby Rogers.

Nang tanungin kung may babaguhin ba siya sa hinaharap ay sinabi niya, “reflecting on the past, I think people are very important, like the people who I surround myself with is maybe sometimes even more so. I think surrounding yourself with competent and knowledgeable people is of course really important, but also the type of person and their character is big-time, just making sure we really get on and intentions are really good.”