“She made it to the fourth round here last year. She knows Wimbledon is first-strike tennis [a reference to Raducanu’s own analysis of her grass-court performances]† I don’t mean to burst her bubble here, but I think she understands already. Give her some time. But these are things she should have learned already.”
Last year, McEnroe came under fire for his analysis of Raducanu’s breathing difficulties against Alja Tomljanovic. At the time, I suggested that the opportunity “got just a little too much” — a statement he recently defended, insisting he’d be happy to offer again.
Here he once again questioned some of the reasons for Raducanu’s recent series of fitness problems. “How come she has blisters?” said McEnroe, regarding the hand problem that surfaced at the Australian Open in January and the foot problem that plagued her at the Billie Jean King Cup in February: “I don’t understand that part.
“She won the US Open from qualifying. Of course a lot is expected of that. I suppose nerves play a part in injuries. She is 19 years old. She should be able to deal with that very quickly. I hope great things will happen in the future, but you have to start believing. Support the hype!”
McEnroe’s punditry partner Kim Clijsters was a little less outspoken, but she also expressed concern about Raducanu’s volatile coaching set-up.
“I agree she needs to start working with a team that she can build with for years to come,” said Clijsters. †[There are] a few things to work on.”