Emma Raducanu has addressed questions about her tennis future, stating she intends to play into her 30s but does not foresee matching Serena Williams' longevity. The British number one, 23, spoke ahead of the HSBC Championships at Queen's, where she defeated Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova in straight sets, dropping just three games.
Raducanu on Playing Into Her 40s
When asked if she could see herself playing for another 20 years, Raducanu replied: "I personally don't. But a lot of the players who play until they are older, if you asked them when they were 20, they wouldn't have seen themselves playing into their 40s." She expressed admiration for Williams, who made a winning return at Queen's after 1,376 days, partnering with Victoria Mboko to win 7-6 (2) 6-2 against third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
Raducanu added: "I think it's an amazing thing. With sports science and how everyone takes care of their bodies, it's much more achievable. I have a lot of respect for anyone who comes back and keeps playing for the duration."
Injuries and Future Plans
Raducanu's career has been marked by injuries and inconsistent form, leading to speculation about her long-term future. However, the 2021 US Open champion has previously stated she wants to play into her 30s. In 2022, she said: "I feel like if I set out with a goal when I'm starting to play tennis, I achieve that, like, once I'm happy, it kind of makes sense to finish on a high. For me, I want to be in the game as long as possible. I'm only 19. I've just come on tour, which is pretty young. Now I think the tour is getting younger. There are a lot of great players who are also young. I want to be in the game till I'm in my 30s. We'll see what happens and how long I can last, to be honest."
Queen's Victory
Raducanu was delighted with her comprehensive victory over Blinkova, allowing only six points in the first set and wrapping up the match in one hour. She said: "I think it was a really good stepping stone. And I think the way I was feeling on the court, the way I was moving, the way I was expressing myself, just the whole package, not necessarily the tennis, just how I kind of was acting on the court, I really enjoyed it. I think that's something that I want to take forward in all of my matches and really embrace this grass court season."
