EMMA FORCED TO BACK OUT IN ITALY
Emma Raducanu was struck by further injury problems when she was forced to pull out of the Italian Open in the second set of her first round match. The British no 1 was trailing in an intriguing match-up against canada’s Bianca andreescu with the score at 6-2, 2-1 when she shook hands and quit. Raducanu had been complaining of lower back problems, which she also reported at the madrid Open last week. She called on the WTA Tour physio at 5-2 down against andreescu and left the court for a lengthy medical timeout, before retiring four games later after being heard saying: ‘I can’t move.’
Tim Henman, working for amazon Prime, said that he feels Raducanu needs to re-examine her team — potentially in terms of fitness rather than coaching, which is the area that gains more attention. ‘I feel she needs a bit more support than she has right now,’ he said. ‘When things are going well, it’s not that difficult. dealing with adversity is more challenging.’ Raducanu now has less than two weeks to get herself right for Roland Garros, after which she will attack the grass. She had been struggling to cope with the powerful strokes of andreescu in what were slower and heavier conditions in Rome than last week in madrid. andreescu is a fellow US Open champion, having won in new York in 2019, since when she has struggled with long-term knee problems. The canadian’s form has been steadily improving and her ball-striking was a reminder of how she once won the Flushing meadows title. Raducanu struck it well enough when in position but looked to be slightly restricted in her rotation. Earlier, her male counterpart cam norrie made it through to the second round of the men’s event when he defeated Italian wildcard Luca nardi 6-4, 6-4. He will now face marin cilic.
SHE is an accomplished linguist, fluent in Mandarin, Romanian and English.
But Emma Raducanu might think twice before she tries speaking Italian again – after she made an awkward faux pas in a TV interview.
The 19-year-old tennis star accidentally swore in Italian ahead of the Italian Open in Rome.
Asked if she had learned any Italian ahead of the tournament, Miss Raducanu said: ‘I did, like “che cazzo”’.
Met with laughter from people behind the camera, the star then burst out laughing too and asked: ‘Is that a bad word?’ The interviewer replied: ‘I will tell you later.’ The phrase, actually means ‘what the f***’.
Miss Raducanu had an excuse for accidentally using the term, however. ‘My friend told me that one!’ she said.
Her conversation ended with the teenager from Bromley excusing herself in a fit of giggles. Miss Raducanu was forced to retire in the first round of the tournament yesterday after suffering a back injury.