At Flushing Meadows, Emma Raducanu put up a resounding showdown, clinching her maiden grand slam without dropping a set. Marion Bartoli has something on her plate while everyone else is gushing about the next tennis phenomenon.
The 2013 Wimbledon champion shared her thoughts on the situations of Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka. In her response, she stated that Raducanu and Osaka are in completely different situations when it comes to dealing with pressure.
According to Tennis Majors, after claiming the title she said, “For me, I don’t feel absolutely any pressure. I’m still only 18 years old.
“I’m just having a free swing at anything that comes my way. That’s how I faced every match here in the States. Yeah, it got me this trophy, so I don’t think I should change anything.”
Marion Bartoli wants to wait and watch
Marion Bartoli was quite delighted with Emma Raducanu’s performance at the US Open 2021. Bartoli believes Raducanu and Osaka are in a different league when it comes to pressure managing. In comparison to the Brit, Osaka is under a tremendous amount of strain. It’s not fair to pass judgment on both champions.
“First of all, it’s one thing to come out and play when you have absolutely nothing to lose,” Bartoli said to Tennis Majors.
“It’s another thing when you win four Grand Slams, earn $55 million in endorsements a year and you have to prove and feel like you deserve that every single time you play a tennis match.”
Another significant aspect was also brought up by the former Wimbledon winner. Raducanu, she thought, had nothing to lose, whereas Osaka had a lot of weight on her shoulders. Naomi Osaka, for example, would not aim for the second or third round; instead, she would battle for the title.
“They were just normal players coming in to try and win a match. And this is why for me it’s going to be fascinating to see if they keep on winning, they are going to have so many endorsements, so many more brands where it feels like you are owing them something.
“Are they going to play the same way, are they going to behave the same way on the court and still have that same joy,” Bartoli questioned.
Naomi Osaka’s journey at the US Open 2021 was cut short in the third round by eventual winner Leylah Fernandez. This was only Osaka’s second major grand slam appearance in 2021. Because of her mental health concerns, she withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon.
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