It was perhaps unfair for her to meet Iga Swiatek so early in this visit to the Roland Garros laboratory. Though both were slam-winning teens, Raducanu at 18, Swiatek at 19, the story diverges dramatically thereafter.
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Not only was she already 4 and 0 against Swiatek, she had never taken a set off her. Swiatek had supposedly developed a worrying weakness on her forehand side and while she has not contested a final since winning her fourth French Open title a year ago, there was little sign of it here.
Raducanu at least entered the arena in better health, the mystery sickness that afflicted her in the first round seen off by a good night’s sleep and enthusiastic carb-loading. Understandably, Raducanu appeared nervous as she waited for the prompt to enter Philippe Chatrier, the ear buds working overtime to dilute the tension with her favourite playlist.
It is in this mental space where Raducanu must make up most ground. And that can only come in the arena against players like Swiatek. In her last contest against an opponent of Swiatek’s calibre, Coco Gauff in Madrid a fortnight ago, Raducanu claimed only three games despite being in some big points.
Swiatek is a class apart from her peers (Photo: Getty)A generation ago British No 1 Tim Henman added John McEnroe’s American doubles partner Peter Fleming to his coaching team to learn how to linger longer in rallies against the best. Fleming observed that Henman was competitive for a set but did not have the gears to compete thereafter.
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Swiatek is a serious athlete, powerful as well as robust. Raducanu has neither Swiatek’s engine nor her physicality. But that is not to say she cannot acquire both.
Raducanu just has to keep turning up, giving it everything without losing a sense of herself. Raducanu is a seriously good tennis player. But in Paris, as in Madrid, she was up against a great.
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