Emma Raducanu’s rollercoaster ride at Grand Slam events continued at the 2022 Australian Open, with the British sensation surprisingly crashing out in the second round. She had previously reached round four at Wimbledon and stunned a global audience when savoring an epic triumph at the 2021 US Open.
The biggest occasions have been all or nothing for a talented prodigy with the world at her feet. The game will always be played with hands, though, and that has become a sticking point of late.
An early departure Down Under at the turn of another calendar year was partly down to untimely injury issues being endured in the most important area of any tennis star’s body. The plan is to shake them off as quickly as possible.
The countdown is already on to Roland Garros, with Raducanu priced at +1400 in the
tennis betting online markets to enjoy ultimate glory at the 2022 French Open. Few would argue against her star rising to the heavens again after suffering another slight dip.
When traveling to Paris, it may be wise to seek out some advice from a superstar performer that knows better than most how to emerge victorious on courts made of clay. Rafa Nadal is king of that particular playing surface, with 13 crowns collected during visits to France’s fashionable capital.
The Spanish phenomenon, who now has a record-setting 21 major titles to his name, has experienced similar issues to Raducanu in the past and come through them with typical grit and determination.
Sore point
Blisters have been a quite literal sore point for Nadal down the years, with anybody that plays as much tennis as he does – with early exits from any competition not really his thing – going to break down at some point.
Back in 2014, while in Melbourne, he refused to give up regardless of the challenges put in front of him and
suffered serious difficulties with his hands during a quarter-final clash with Grigor Dimitrov. He emerged victorious in that contest, swept aside Roger Federer in straight sets at the semi-final stage and only came unstuck when facing Stan Wawrinka with major silverware up for grabs.
Nadal, as he often does, found a way. He now sports more tape around his fingers and palms than just about any other player in the game, with solutions being sought before they become problems. Raducanu would be advised to follow that example.
She found the going almost impossible against Danka Kovinic in Oz,
with painful blisters reducing her to sliced forehands and a serve that was more floated in than fired down. More lessons at the highest level of competitive sport are being learned the hard way.
Raducanu has overcome plenty of other challenges, though, and will have noted what needs to be done – and what has to be avoided – in order to move through the grandest of events unscathed and with no excuses to hold her back.
Nadal is a perfect role model there, as he is to millions of others, and while excessive bandaging may not be the way forward, inspiration can be taken when it comes to doing whatever it takes to get over the line.
