Emma Raducanu has picked who she will be rooting to win the Eastbourne Open following her Round of 16 exit yesterday.
In what has been an awkward two weeks of preparation for Wimbledon, the newly-crowned British number one returns to the All-England Club shrouded in uncertainty.
Naturally, she will spearhead British hopes on the female front, but her revelation about an invisible ongoing struggle makes it hard to expect big things from her.
That being said, she now has just shy of a week to refocus, as she remained as gracious as ever when reacting to her loss to Maya Joint.
Emma Raducanu picks who she wants to win Eastbourne
Speaking after her disappointing defeat, Emma Raducanu was refreshingly open as she spoke to the media.
And, as relayed by The Express, there are numerous external factors contributing to the 22-year-old’s struggles, as Raducanu claimed: ‘I would say it bothers me. I wouldn’t say it’s like I can’t move. Like a lot of athletes, we all carry kind of something that we’re managing and playing through, but I’d just say that it’s, it’s okay, I can play, and I can still put out some, you know, pretty decent tennis in the situation.
‘I am going to rest tomorrow. Just yeah, take it day by day. Get some practice in. I think it could be a blessing in disguise, having some rest right now.
‘I think I’m looking forward to heading back and then getting on the grass at Wimbledon. I think I will likely step on the court regardless.’
Then asked who she wanted to win Eastbourne following her exit, Raducanu admitted: ‘I think, yeah, I did fight back well, in that situation, I think I put myself in that situation to start with, which wasn’t necessarily great, but I did dig it out in the third set, in terms of getting a few live situations of break points coming back.
‘I think it all goes to a bank of experience, and it just keeps the match sharpness ahead of next week as well. I think Maya played a really good match. It was obviously very long, but credit to her. She really stepped up and in a lot of big moments there. So I’m rooting for her, and hopefully she goes all the way.’
This comes after Raducanu admits she forgot one thing about Eastbourne earlier in the week upon her return to the event.
Who is Maya Joint?
For those who don’t know who Joint is, now is the perfect time to start learning.
After all, at just 19 years old, this Australian youngster is being tipped to make waves on the WTA, having already impressed this year in what is her first season as a professional.
It took her no time at all to break into the top 100 on the rankings, and boasts wins over some big-name opposition including Donna Vekic earlier in 2025, before having felled both Ons Jabeur and Raducanu in the same week at Eastbourne.
With this latest impressive victory, Joint is on the verge of now smashing into the top 50, putting herself ever closer to those coveted seeded spots for Grand Slams.
Smashing Australian tennis records at will, she will head to Wimbledon brimming with confidence, knowing that if she performs to the best of her abilities there are few who would want to see this unseeded threat on their side of the draw.
She faces Anna Blinkova in the Eastbourne quarter-finals on Thursday.
