24 June 2024 , 08:00
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Emma Raducanu's rival Leylah Fernandez has expressed her sympathy for the British star after she was hit by injuries.
Fernandez lost to Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final, which shot the then 18-year-old into stardom. Since becoming the first-ever qualifier to win a grand slam title though, Raducanu has endured a wretched three years.
She suffered a succession of injuries which led to surgery on her wrists and ankles. Fernandez has also suffered some injury issues, having been forced to miss Wimbledon in 2022 after fracturing her foot.
The duo are now gearing up to play in Wimbledon, which gets underway next week. It is the first time they will be in the same Wimbledon draw since their US Open final meeting and Fernandez has now revealed that she can sympathise with Raducanu.
“I can certainly understand what Emma’s been going through. Sometimes you put extra pressure on yourself, because you did something incredible at such a young age," Fernandez told The Times.
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"Then you’re expected to do it again and again. I’ve been trying to accept it. That’s the hardest part, you feel you’re accepting it, but in reality you’re butting heads all the time with the pressure you give yourself.”
“What we’re going through is normal, plenty of pros have gone through that. It’s just about learning from those experiences and hopefully there will be more opportunities to play in grand-slam finals, to play in the big stadiums. There’s a long way to go in my career.”
Having reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open, Raducanu will step up her preparation by taking part in the Eastbourne International this week. She had previously opted against entering the French Open.
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Leylah Fernandez, who Raducanu beat in the 2021 US Open final, has admitted she can understand her rival's frustrations (Getty Images)But the 21-year-old has insisted that was the right decision in order to allow her to head into the grass court season feeling the fittest she has ever been.
“I think it’s very easy for me to lose sight of where I was exactly a year ago,” she said a fortnight ago. “You get so caught up in your own world that you want more and more and more, but I was on a [mobility] scooter scooting around and there was an element of doubt.
"To be healthy and to be here, I need to cherish it. Body-wise I feel really healthy now. I feel really strong. I’ve done amazing work with my trainer over the last few months since surgery. I’m in a really fit place. I’m healthy and just looking forward to starting playing.
“I don’t need to rush and try to win the French Open; it wasn’t my goal this year. I had to prioritise where I wanted to target and it was just a good block for me to get some physical work done.”