Emma Raducanu has praised Serena Williams for staging a comeback at the age of 44, but made clear she "personally doesn't" envision herself still competing in her forties. The iconic American champion is set to return to professional tennis for the first time since 2022 on British soil next week, partnering Victoria Mboko in the doubles at Queens in London.
Raducanu on Playing into Her Forties
The 23-time Grand Slam champion sent shockwaves through the sporting world when she announced her return at 44. Williams is dipping her toe back in at Queens, before heading to Berlin and potentially setting her sights on a wildcard appearance at Wimbledon.
When asked whether she could picture herself still competing on the WTA Tour in two decades' time, the British star replied: "I personally don't. But a lot of the players who play until they are older, if you asked them when they were 20, they wouldn't have seen themselves playing into their forties. I think it's an amazing thing. With sports science and how everyone takes care of their bodies, it's much more achievable. I have a lot of respect for anyone who comes back and keeps playing for the duration."
Interest in Speaking with Williams
The 23-year-old, who spent the morning training on Andy Murray Arena alongside last year's runner-up Amanda Anisimova, confirmed she had not spoken to Williams about her comeback, despite both being represented by the same management agency, IMG. "No I haven't spoken to her but I would obviously love to," Raducanu added. "She has so much experience, so many lessons, it would be a really cool thing to do so I'll ask later."
Raducanu had actually faced the returning star shortly before she "evolved" away from tennis in Cincinnati nearly four years ago. The British player triumphed 6-4 6-0 on that occasion, a result she looks back on with great affection.
"I remember that match, it was when she was retiring at the end of the US swing," Raducanu explained. "I was super nervous before playing her because it was just announced that she was stopping. It's really great to see her back, it's an amazing inspiration for all of us to see her around, she's the greatest female player of all time and it's amazing to have her around and part of the tour again."
Raducanu's Recent Struggles and Grass Season Preparation
Raducanu appeared noticeably buoyant despite enduring a wretched few weeks plagued by illness, compounded by a disappointing run on clay in both Strasbourg and the French Open.
Reflecting on her 6-0 7-6 first-round defeat to Solana Sierra in Roland-Garros, she said: "It was a tough match for me, I think afterwards I found the next day pretty tough and knew the best thing for me was to get back on court straight away to just nip it in the bud."
"I took a long time away from competing [before the French Open], from Strasbourg and the French it did teach me a few things to take into the grass season. I have been doing what I can day to day and that is all I can ask of myself."
Regarding the adjustments she has made to her game, Raducanu pointed out that "a lot starts from the beginning of the point, with serving and returning."
"That's highlighted on the grass courts so working on the actual quality of the shot would probably be where I would start. I have been working the past couple of weeks on the grass so that's what I am trying to focus on. It's easier to implement that mindset if you start the point a better way."
