‘It’s just a little bump’ – Andy Murray defends Emma Raducanu after shock Indian Wells loss
Andy Murray insists the defeat Emma Raducanu suffered at Indian Wells was merely a ‘little bump’ in her upward trajectory as a tennis star.
The 18-year-old sensation shocked the tennis world when she triumphed at the US Open last month, beating Leylah Fernandez in the youngest final at Flushing Meadows since 1999.
On her return to action after a 28-day absence, Raducanu was outplayed by world number 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich, losing in straight-sets 6-2 6-4 to the Belarusian.
After beating Carlos Alcaraz in his second-round encounter, Murray jumped to his compatriot’s defence, stating the defeat was just a minor blip in an otherwise impressive year.
“What happened in New York was obviously incredible but in tennis and sport it doesn’t just go in an upwards direction all the time,” Murray told reporters.
“There’s always little bumps and stuff along the way. It’s just a little bump, but I think pretty much everyone was sort of expecting that as well. I don’t think it’s anything unexpected, to be honest.
“She’s unbelievably bright and well educated, so you would imagine she would certainly be a lot better equipped to deal with everything that’s going on than most and deal with it in a more mature way than I’d have done when I was 18.
“She’s handled herself perfectly. I’m sure as she moves along she will learn how to go about everything, how to balance the whole tennis life, commercial life and the stuff that goes on away from the court better all the time.”
Murray, who is one of three British players remaining in the draw alongside Cam Norrie and Dan Evans, will now meet Alexander Zverev in the third round.
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