Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal from Wimbledon had become expected by the time it was officially announced, and yet it was still met with sadness.
After all, no Brit wants to withdraw from their home Grand Slam, particularly the 23-year-old, who has enjoyed such good performances here in the past, and was coming off the back of a run to the final of Queen’s just weeks ago.
Her ailment must be serious, and people seem to be forgetting that.
However, speaking on his Off Court podcast, Greg Rusedski has now outlined why he is particularly worried for Raducanu after her Wimbledon withdrawal.
Greg Rusedski reacts after Emma Raducanu withdraws from Wimbledon
Discussing the difficulties of managing workload, particularly for someone as prone to illness and injury as Emma Raducanu has been, Rusedski offered his insight as a former player and current coach.
The former British number one claimed: “I think it’s consistent work day in and day out and then getting the volume right and measuring the volume from practice onto the match court.
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Raducanu confirmed a stress fracture in her lower right leg…
“You have got to use a scientific formula to make this happen. You can’t control the uncontrollable, like at Queen’s where she had to play back-to-back matches and had to play three matches in two days.
“But you have got to have the preparation for the body to be able to do that. She was not having the boot for the stress fracture until the Monday before Wimbledon starts, so that means that she had seven to 10 days after Queen’s Club to get ready.
“This is what makes the whole situation, if I look at it from a coach’s point of view, it must have happened either before or during the practice week. For me that is very disconcerting.”
Rusedski then echoed his credentials when adding: “Working with the team that I work with, we always talk about load, volume and consistent work and not really having any time off, so that the body basically can get used to things.
“It’s like Roger Federer; even when he used to go on holiday, he would hit tennis balls. He would go to the Maldives and still hit every day, just lightly, to keep it in and to keep his shoulder rolling over. He would still be doing gym work even during the holiday. Even doing a little each day, you keep that stress and strain on the body, but if all of a sudden you take one or two weeks off, then it takes longer to build up. With all the sports science these days, you have to keep the load and the ratio correct; if you don’t do that, then you are going to be in a lot of trouble.”
Why Emma Raducanu should not be criticised for Wimbledon withdrawal
Despite the typical criticism that has come in Raducanu’s direction following such a bold decision at such a painful time, one pundit has emerged to defend her actions.
In fact, Sky Sports commentator Jonathan Overend, speaking to Sky Sports, has actually called for greater sympathy rather than more scorn.
“It can’t be overstated how difficult it is for these British players to pull out of Wimbledon the day before it starts,” he began. “And I think so much of the talk around Raducanu is about the frequency of the injuries and how fragile she appears to be.
“To have to pull out the night before it starts, I just hope the levels of cynicism are just tempered a little bit.
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“There’s no way she would have wanted this situation, which is why she left it as long as she did because she wanted to give herself every chance of playing.
“It’s devastating for her, disappointing for the tournament, but I hope everybody wishes her a speedy recovery because she’s been so unlucky with injuries.”
