LONDON — Emma Raducanu’s former coach, Dmitry Tursunov, has delivered a sobering assessment of the 2021 US Open champion’s prospects of adding a second Grand Slam title to her name, warning that the unique circumstances of her fairytale run in New York will be incredibly difficult to replicate.
In an exclusive interview, Tursunov, who worked with Raducanu during a brief but notable period in 2022, praised her undeniable talent but expressed significant concerns about the immense pressure and physical challenges that have plagued her young career since her historic breakthrough as an 18-year-old qualifier.
The Unrepeatable Fairytale
Tursunov, who has also coached the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Anett Kontaveit, pointed to the unprecedented nature of Raducanu’s 2021 victory. "What Emma did was a one-off in the history of the sport. To come through qualifying and win seven main-draw matches without dropping a set? That is a perfect storm that you cannot plan for or easily recreate," he stated.
He elaborated that the element of surprise, a key factor in her success, is now gone. "She was an unknown quantity. No opponent had a game plan for her. Now, she is a Grand Slam champion with a target on her back. Every player is motivated to play their absolute best against her. The dynamic is completely different."
The Physical Hurdle
A major obstacle Tursunov highlighted is Raducanu’s struggle with injuries and maintaining physical robustness on the WTA Tour. Since her US Open win, her career has been punctuated by a series of ailments that have severely limited her court time and consistency.
Tursunov explained, "The tour is a brutal, relentless grind. It requires a body that can withstand the pounding of week-in, week-out competition. Emma has struggled to build that physical resilience, and until she can put together 12 to 18 months of uninterrupted training and matches, it’s hard to see her building the momentum needed to win seven best-of-five-set matches."
Her medical history since her triumph includes, but is not limited to:
- A recurring wrist issue that required surgery in 2023.
- Ankle problems that forced her to retire from matches.
- Various other lower and upper body injuries disrupting her rhythm.
The Psychological Weight
Beyond the physical, Tursunov spoke candidly about the psychological burden that comes with such a sudden and massive success. The commercial demands, intense media scrutiny, and constant public expectation have created an environment vastly different from the one in which she thrived as an underdog.
"There is a huge mental toll," Tursunov said. "Going from a talented junior to a global superstar overnight is disorienting. Finding your identity as a player after that, dealing with the critics, managing the off-court commitments—it all drains mental energy that needs to be focused solely on tennis to win at the highest level."
A Glimmer of Hope and the Path Forward
Despite the daunting challenges, Tursunov was careful not to write off Raducanu’s chances completely. He affirmed her exceptional ball-striking ability and tennis intelligence, qualities that are the fundamental building blocks of a champion.
"The talent is absolutely there. Nobody questions that," he insisted. "The recipe for her is simple but incredibly hard to execute: stay healthy, play a full season, lower the expectations, and climb back up the rankings gradually. She doesn’t need to prove she can win a Slam; she’s already done it. She needs to prove she can be a consistent tour player first."
This path, he suggests, involves patience from her team and her fans. Winning smaller WTA events, consistently reaching quarter-finals and semi-finals, and steadily rising back into the top 50 and then the top 30 would be a more realistic and healthy goal before Grand Slam aspirations are realistically back on the table.
The Verdict: Possible, But Not Probable
In his final analysis, Tursunov’s message was clear: while Emma Raducanu possesses the raw skill to win another major, the confluence of factors working against her makes it a monumental task. "It would be a bigger achievement than winning the first one," he concluded.
"The first one was magic. The second one would have to be forged through grit, resilience, and overcoming immense adversity. I would never say never because she has shown she can do the impossible, but the odds are significantly longer now than they were in that magical New York fortnight."
As Raducanu continues her latest comeback attempt in 2024, showing flashes of her brilliant best, the tennis world watches on, wondering if she can defy her ex-coach's sobering prediction and once again capture lightning in a bottle.