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Emma Raducanu - Australian Open 2024

Emma Raducanu ‘did everything backward’ claims agent


Emma Raducanu has been supported by agent Max Eisenbud, who backed the Brit to go on and win more Grand Slam titles.

Raducanu returned to action this year after eight months on the sidelines, after undergoing surgeries to both wrists and her left ankle.

The 21-year-old has won three of her four matches since coming back to the WTA Tour, relying on wildcards and a protected ranking after falling outside the top 250.

And Raducanu’s agent Max Eisenbud, who represents IMG, has been speaking on Andy Roddick’s podcast about his player’s trajectory and recent downfall.

“The girl did everything backward. She skipped every step!” exclaimed Eisenbud. “She won the US Open, she went to the next tournament, she didn’t even know where the player lounge was, she didn’t know where the practice courts were.

“I don’t think just being tough on her or critical on her like any other player [is wrong]. But she is still figuring it out. I just think that people should not be malicious.”

Raducanu has come under a lot of scrutiny since becoming the first qualifier to win a major title at the 2021 US Open, particularly for her frequent coaching changes.

The former world No.10 is currently working with childhood coach Nick Cavaday, who is Raducanu’s sixth mentor since breaking onto the scene at Wimbledon three years ago.

Although the IMG representative admitted it was an unconventional method, Eisenbud did defend Raducanu for her work ethic, “As the agent, do I necessarily agree with it? I don’t. But it seems to work for her.

“And as the agent we can only try to recommend and say, ‘Hey, this one did it this way.’ But they [the family] seem to be very comfortable in the way they are doing it and I have to respect that.”

Eisenbud concluded, “Maybe that changes and maybe it doesn’t. But she really is a hard worker. And tennis is her priority. Yes, people want to see that she does other things. But the way I see her work and how smart she is, I believe she’ll win more slams.”

It is currently unclear as to where Raducanu will be playing next, having not entered Indian Wells using her protected ranking, but could still receive one of the final available wildcard spots.

Inside the baseline…

As much as Emma Raducanu’s US Open triumph is incredible and something that may never be replicated, there is certainly an argument to suggest that it has prevented her natural trajectory up the ranks. Although Raducanu has lost more matches than she has won since returning, there have been plenty of good signs from the young Brit and it just seems as though she needs more match time to help build the ranking and just general confidence.


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Matthew Johns, Tennishead Writer, is a professional tennis journalist with a specialist degree in Sports Journalism. He's a keen tennis player having represented his local club and University plus he's also a qualified tennis coach. Matthew has a deep knowledge of tennis especially the ATP Tour and thrives on breaking big tennis news stories for Tennishead.