Emma Raducanu’s journey this season has been nothing short of a roller coaster. After a grueling battle with injuries last year, fans hoped this would be her comeback season, showcasing the grit and talent that catapulted her to stardom. But 2024 had its own challenges in store for the British star. With fewer victories on the court than anticipated, the year didn’t quite unfold as planned for Raducanu. Now, as she pushes through to make her return, her latest remarks about the season have stirred up a storm among fans.

The British tennis sensation is currently representing her nation at the ongoing Billie Jean King Cup Finals and is depicting some sensational skills in Malaga, Spain. However, her assessment of her year, which Raducanu believes to be exceptional and something that was “unheard of” has ignited fresh discussions, with the star player receiving backlash from the fans. 

Speaking in an interview, Raducanu said that she has made remarkable progress despite facing challenges. “I’m top 60 in the world and I have played less than 15 events, which is pretty unheard of, in a way,” Raducanu said, per WTA Tennis.com. “I have to pat myself on the back for that. I know I’m a dangerous player. I know no one wants to pull my name in the draw. I take pride in that,” she added. But as soon as this quote was shared on X, Raducanu started to receive flak. 

Several fans took to the platform to lash out at the player accusing her of making a self-centric statement and avoiding facts. They also highlighted how the star player received Wild Card entries in major events which further fueled her campaigns. While Emma Raducanu now attempts to take her team to the finals of the BJK Cup, criticism against her has continued to grow.

“Doesn’t back up her words” – Emma Raducanu in hot waters over latest remarks

Taking to X, one user wrote, “Emmas one of my favourite players, but popularity and financials aside, winning that US Open was probably the worst thing that happened to her in terms of development.” Raducanu won the US Open title in 2021 but has failed to repeat her prowess since then. A major reason for this can be attributed to the lesser number of tournaments that she has played and the injuries she has witnessed. She also took a long hiatus from the courts last year after surgeries on both wrists and one ankle. These factors have made the fans believe that her development has stopped overall. Similar reactions continued to follow. 

Responding to her statements, another user wrote, “She is the most delusional player I’ve ever seen. She doesn’t back up her words. I hope she keeps quiet and proves it on the court instead of just talking.” The British star’s struggles continued in the current season as well. She could play only 14 tournaments this season, with her last coming at the Korea Open from where she withdrew after suffering a foot injury during her quarterfinal clash against Daria Kasatkina. This further forced her to pull out from several other tournaments during the Asian Swing as well. Besides, the tournaments that she has played in have not given her immense success. 

Raducanu faced early exits in numerous tournaments this year getting ousted as early as the first round itself. In fact, her most successful run came at the Nottingham Open where she advanced to the semi-finals but failed to clinch the title yet again. Meanwhile, more users continued to lash out at her. 

“Did she forget all the wildcards she got to help her getting back into top 100? I guess she feels entitled,” wrote another user. Raducanu’s health issues and her Grand Slam title helped her receive wild-card entries in several tournaments like the Nottingham Open, Eastbourne International, the Madrid Open, and Wimbledon championships. However, she could not win a title in any of these events and hence, fans are lashing out at her claiming that a major reason for the rise in her rankings from 285 to 58, is because of these Wild cards. 

One more user joined the fray and wrote, “Didn’t you lose in the first round of every major, except Wimby where you had a fluke draw. Delusional ASF.” Notably, the British star has won 20 of the 33 matches she has played on tour this year. However, her performances at the Grand Slams have been concerning for her fans. Raducanu was ousted in the second and fourth rounds of the Australian Open and Wimbledon respectively. Her performance at the US Open was even more tragic where she was ousted in the first round itself.

Yet another user took a dig at the player and wrote, “Well, modesty is not one of her talents for sure.” For now, it would be interesting to see if Emma Raducanu can continue her remarkable progress at the BJK Cup Finals to bring an end to these backlashes. Will she respond to the jibes against her? Well, only time will tell.