Emma Raducanu says she made the right decision by withdrawing from her mixed doubles match with Andy Murray to focus on singles despite being beaten in the fourth round at Wimbledon on Sunday.
The 21-year-old withdrew from the scrimmage on Saturday with wrist soreness, giving Murray at least one final game before his retirement later this summer.
“It was a very difficult decision,” Raducanu said after losing 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun. “Of course, I don’t want to take away his last game. But at the end of the day, I think a lot of players in similar situations would do the same thing and prioritize their bodies. I still insist that the right decision was made. Obviously he’s disappointed. , because it’s his last game. But yeah, what a champion, I think hopefully he can go to the Olympics and say goodbye there again.
Raducanu said she and Murray have not discussed what might happen if she goes deep into the singles and may have to withdraw.
“I feel fine, but yesterday morning I woke up stiff,” she said. “I have to prioritize myself, my singles, and my body. I think it’s the right decision. I stand by it. Obviously, it was a hard decision because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
“I think going into the tournament, I didn’t expect to get to the fourth round. I wanted to play. He didn’t ask me: ‘If you were still playing singles, would you be playing?’ ” This was never a question that needed to be answered. Considering the way I woke up yesterday morning, it was a no-brainer for me.
Raducanu played down the significance of Judy Murray’s social media post saying the Englishman’s exit was “surprising”, with Murray later clarifying the comment was sarcastic, adding that the fixture list was a factor. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it,” Raducanu said.
Despite withdrawing from Wimbledon, Raducanu said she has “got her passion back” and is determined to continue climbing the rankings.
Newsletter Promotion Post
“There are definitely areas where I need to keep improving,” she said. “I think I improved some things. My serve got better. I think I need to work on consistency, like performing well every day, not just certain days.
“Honestly, it’s made me more determined. I think over the last few weeks, months I’ve really put myself first. Tennis is the only thing that’s really occupied my time and my thoughts. That’s what I really want to do. Everything. I think that desire and fire is back and I just want to build on that.
