Martina Navratilova Defended Emma Raducanu After John McEnroe’s Comments

Emma Raducanu is gearing up for the US Open after getting ousted from the Cincinnati Masters. The Brit is the defending champion in the US Open this year. Last year, after her sudden rise to fame following her unlikely win at the US Open, tennis legend Martina Navratilova came to the defense of the rising star.

The 59-time Grand Slam Champion responded after John McEnroe made some remarks about Raducanu mindset.

Martina Navratilova defended Emma Raducanu against John McEnroe’s remarks

Emma Raducanu shocked the world by winning the US Open title as a qualifier at just 18 years of age. Following that, she received an overwhelming amount of attention from fans and the media. Prior to that, John McEnroe had commented on the incident where she had a walkover at Wimbledon 2021 after suffering a panic attack on the court.

He said, “It appears it just got a little bit too much, as is understandable.” Furthermore, he commented on the pressure the players can handle and said, “How much can players handle? It makes you look at the guys that have been around and the girls for so long – how well they can handle it.”

Navratilova defended Raducanu after her victory at the US Open 2021. She said, “I don’t think those people will be talking anything about her mental fitness ever again.”

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Moreover, she praised the player for her tenacity and said, “She is so switched on in every way and as I say she came out of the box all put together already, no batteries needed. She’s the whole package.”

Will Raducanu defend her title at Flushing Meadows?

Raducanu came under the limelight because of her sudden rise to fame. People criticized her for lagging behind on the court after she announced her partnership with Porsche. However, the defending US Open champion has kept her morale up and continues to push herself on the court. Recently, she defeated Serena Williams, who announced her retirement after the US Open 2022.

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From her recent matches against both Serena and Azarenka, it is evident that she is gradually regaining her form before the start of the last Grand Slam of the season. Do you think she will repeat history again and lift the trophy in Flushing Meadows?