British tennis star Emma Raducanu has disclosed that she finds it difficult to compete with players that she’s friends with.
Raducanu is teaming with Elena Rybakina in Washington, and she’s also set to be Carlos Alcaraz’s much-anticipated US Open partner.
However, Raducanu has confirmed she hasn’t got many friends on the tour and explained exactly why she likes to keep it that way.
“It’s very difficult to really open up with other players that you’re competing against,” revealed Raducanu at her Washington Open press conference (h/t TennisUpToDate).
I think for me, I have a few friends on the tour, but it does add another dimension when you play them,” the 2021 US Open champion added.
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‘I have really good friends at home that I can trust and speak to, but other than that, you know, I don’t think that, yeah, this is — for me, I just find it harder to compete against a person I’m friends with.’
While Raducanu has admitted to finding friendships difficult to maintain on tour, she has also spoken about the benefits of having such a close inner circle of friends.
‘I think it adds more significance because they never really get to come and watch me. We made it an annual thing. They can come to Wimbledon. It aligns with everyone’s calendar. A lot of them live in America.
‘They’re friends from secondary school, childhood. One of them I’ve known since I was 6 years old. Then another one since I was 14.
‘Yeah, it’s just so special. They’re in the box there. When I look over to them, it just gives me an extra boost of motivation.’
