Andy Murray: Gentle reluctance to give advice to Emma Raducanu
Andy Murray has told BBC Sport that he will refrain from giving unsolicited advice to the rising star of British tennis, Emma Raducanu . He found out first hand that supposed expert assessments can often have opposing effects.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Sep 21, 2021, 06:47 pm
Not only the British tennis community, no, also stars from music, football and the like announced their congratulations for the sensational US Open winner Emma Raducanu. The 18-year-old is on everyone's lips on the British Isles, there is no question about that. Such a successful run by a compatriot does not leave a mark on Andy Murray, himself a three-time major winner. Compared to BBC Sport, the Scot had nothing but respect for Raducanu: "What Emma has achieved is incredible and I hope that she will achieve more amazing things in this sport."
Now, according to Murray, he doesn't want to make the mistake of overwhelming the teenager with unsolicited advice, as it happened to himself: "I never liked it when the former British tennis players interfered after every win and every defeat and said what should be done or not, and many of them gave advice even when you hadn't asked, "says Murray. He always found this very "irritating", yes, I still find it today. "I don't want to be that person."
Murray: "That's not helpful"
Although his doors are always open to Emma Raducanu and her environment, the three-time major winner does not want to impose: "If you or your family ever want to talk, I will of course always be on the phone," said Murray. "But I don't want to be the type of person who interferes after every loss or win and gives my opinion on what to do differently or not because it doesn't help." Just as Andy Murray managed to break a 77-year-old British major losing streak with his US Open win in 2012, Emma Raducanu ended a 44-year-old on the women's side.
A waiting period that Great Britain could no longer afford for this length of time: "For a country that hosts the largest tennis tournament in the world and which certainly does not lack money, that is not good enough," emphasized the former world number one. "Now should be the opportunity to make sure there isn't another huge wait. You have to try to take the opportunity." An opportunity that naturally goes hand in hand with a player Emma Raducanu. If Andy Murray has his way, the need of the hour is to let the 18-year-old do it once.