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After Emma Raducanu’s Long Injury Lay Off, 68-Year-Old Coach Leaves No Stone Unturned to Back Her as He Brings In Venus Williams’ Top Rival’s Career to Nail His Point

Published 05/05/2023, 2:43 AM EDT

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via Reuters

After a dream start to her career, things are not going great for the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu. The British tennis star has recently undergone wrist and ankle surgery, which has taken her out of the picture of playing on the WTA Tour for a few months. Although she has been constantly criticized for her off-court endeavors, which are pointed out as a source of distraction for the Grand Slam winner, many have come to her support. The latest renowned personality to have voiced out his support for Raducanu is none other than Rick Macci, the former coach of Venus and Serena Williams. The Hall of Famer coach drew parallels with Venus Williams’ biggest rival, Jennifer Capriati, while talking about Emma Raducanu.

Former coach of Venus and Serena Williams compares the careers of Jennifer Capriati and Emma Raducanu 

Former world no. 1 Jennifer Capriati rose to fame as soon as she stepped into the WTA realm at a very young age. However, she also suffered a major slump early in her career, and she was out of the court for some time.

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In the podcast, Tennis Unfiltered, Macci drew parallels between Capriati and Raducanu. He stated, “I still believe she can come back and be one of the best players in the world and win Grand Slams.” When Venus Williams was at her peak on the court, it was Jennifer Capriati who proved to be a challenge to the 7-time Grand Slam champion. Taking note of the same, he added, “Remember, Capriati disappeared on the face of the earth. She not only came back, she came all the way back. Jennifer. Won three Grand Slams, and one Olympic gold.”

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Drawing out an important lesson, he stated, “Obviously, what happened in New York was not a fluke. You have to have the game to do something like that.” Macci also identified a particular aspect that makes a champion. He stated, “And her mental strength could be her best asset even though now it’s probably kind of lopsided. I love the technical part of her game.” 

Right now, the British tennis player is out of the Top 100 of the WTA rankings. This is a major drawback for a young player who has been a former US Open champion.

Macci believes Raducanu can win multiple Grand Slam titles

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This is not the first time that the former coach of Venus and Serena Williams has come to the defense of Emma Raducanu.

via Reuters

He recently took to Twitter to shut down the haters who have thrown shade at Raducanu’s performance. He believes that she will make a comeback and will win multiple Grand Slam titles. Hitting back at her haters, he stated that one cannot buy confidence on the internet. 

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WATCH THIS STORY: Venus and Serena Williams’ Sibling Rivalry Takes an Incredible Turn

Do you think Macci’s predictions about Raducanu will come true? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shivali Sharma

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Shivali Sharma is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports, who specializes in off-court topics and has a particular focus on the legendary ‘Queen of the Court’, Serena Williams. With a wealth of experience in the industry, Shivali has authored numerous articles covering varied topics concerning the 23-time Grand Slam champion, including her personal life, career, and more. In addition to her work on Serena Williams, Shivali is also a huge fan of Naomi Osaka and admires the four-time Major winner, particularly for her advocacy for mental health.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas