Annabel Croft appeared on BBC Breakfast and showered praise on Emma Raducanu who became the first woman in 44 years to win a Grand Slam singles title during her appearance at the US Open. While Ms Croft remarked how the 18-year-old dealt with pressure and stepped up to win, she was asked whether she could give Ms Raducanu a good game back in the day. The WTA Tour winner laughed at the suggestion, stating she would not be able to keep up as Ms Raducanu’s agent struggles to find practising partners who can keep up with her.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Ms Croft had nothing but good things to say about Ms Raducanu and praised the way she dealt with pressure.
But the former tennis star was asked if she could give Ms Raducanu a good game to which Ms Croft laughed off the suggestion.
She told the programme: “I can tell you I would not be able to keep up for one single shot.
“She has so much pop on the ball and it just comes through.
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“I was just speaking to her agent recently and she was saying they need to keep lining up practise partners because none of the hitting partners could keep up with her.
“And these were a lot of blokes they were bringing in and they just kept lining them up.
“She was blitzing through a lot of them so I don’t think a lot of people can keep up with her…
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on her but let her enjoy this moment and I can’t wait to watch the rest of her career.
“It’s going to be an amazing one.”
“But you know I think it’s getting the right balance of everything and you’re compartmentalising everything and making sure she makes the right decisions in terms of which events.
“But you’re absolutely right, she’s never going to be on the outside courts anymore she’s always going to be in demand for centre courts all around the world.
“She will have more pressure on her shoulders but I didn’t really feel, you know, we didn’t once see any sign of nerves throughout the course of the US Open.
“She has so much inner belief in her ability and I think that’s a really big thing going forward.
“I think she’ll just embrace the pressure, the way a Roger Federer did.”
