DON’T HIT RAD ALERT
Croft has no fears for Emma
EMMA RADUCANU was like a “caged animal let loose” when she won the US Open after lockdown.
But Annabel Croft claims the teenager must now be given time to learn her trade and do her apprenticeship “in reverse”.
The former Brtish No.1 said: “We must not panic about her.”
The US Open champion will play her first match in London since her New York triumph in an exhibition match at the Royal Albert Hall today. She will face Romanian ElenaGabriela Ruse.
The Bromley teenager shocked the sporting world with her victory at Flushing Meadows – her first ever Tour-level win.
And Croft (above) said: “I did hear from within the team that ■ she had always wanted to go out and do something early in her life. She wanted to win early. And that she felt lockdown and Covid and everything was preventing her from going out on the tour quickly.
“So when she came out she was always like a caged animal had been let loose and just went out there and grabbed it.” But Raducanu, 19, has won only two matches in three events as a Major champion as she learns to deal with the reality of the WTA Tour after her dream win. Croft added: “She is coping unbelievably well with so much change in her life.
She’s doing it in reverse and doing her apprenticeship now. She has to learn about situations in matches, which will take time. The biggest thing is being able to cope with you’re not going to win every match on the court.
“That’s what most players deal with as they build themselves up to get to where she’s got.
“But we mustn’t panic about her next year. She’s still so young.”
Key to Raducanu returning to winning ways is the recent appointment of Torben Beltz, who took fellow German Angelique Kerber to world No.1.
“He’s incredibly experienced,” said Croft.
“He’ll be very good, I think everything will be okay.”
STRAIGHTSETS wins for Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie earned Great Britain a 2-1 victory over France and a perfect start to their Davis Cup Finals bid. Evans beat Adrian Mannarino 7-5
6-4 and Norrie claimed a gutsy
6-2 7-6 (10-8) win over Arthur Rinderknech. GB’s hopes of topping the table will be tested against Czech Republic today.