‘Loner’ Emma Raducanu enjoying freedom to find herself ahead of French Open, says heading in the right direction on clay
- The US Open champion split with full-time coach Torben Beltz after just five months
- Teen likes the independence of figuring out how to adapt to clay court surface
Without a coach and heading into the second grand slam of the year, Emma Raducanu said she was enjoying being alone as she figured out what she needed to succeed.
And although she has little experience on clay at the elite level, the 19-year-old said she was heading in the right direction on the surface ahead of the French Open later this month.
Raducanu has had mixed results following her maiden grand slam title last year, but has had an encouraging run in the clay court season where she reached the Stuttgart quarter-finals and Madrid last-16.
She has been figuring out how to adapt to the surface without the help of a full-time coach after splitting with Torben Beltz last month, and the Briton has taken a liking to the independence of coaching herself.
“I’d describe myself as a loner,” said Raducanu. “For the past year … I’ve had a lot of people around me a lot and very often.
“To be on my own is interesting because I’m kind of finding out a lot about myself, understanding what I need and what I don’t need.”
Raducanu played her first professional match on clay in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers last month and said she has been learning about the surface as she plays.