Column: Rising stars in women’s tennis find a bumpy ride awaits them

Emma Raducanu set a modest objective firstly of her 2021 tennis season: win one spherical in the principle draw of a Grand Slam occasion.

She obliterated that timetable by reaching the fourth spherical at Wimbledon. She modified her life by successful the U.S. Open in September, capping a surprising journey from qualifier to champion with out dropping a set.

It was a dream come true at an absurdly accelerated tempo, a wild journey that made the self-possessed Briton the game’s latest darling at 18. Tiffany requested her to mannequin its sparkly jewellery. Dior signed her to put on its high-end fashions. Evian water declared Raducanu the face of her era.

However with the endorsements and social media cheers from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got here expectations that had been totally unrealistic for somebody who had little expertise with the grind {of professional} tennis. “I believe everybody simply all of the sudden anticipated me to win the whole lot and clear up the whole lot I performed,” Raducanu mentioned.

She gained solely two extra matches in three tournaments the remainder of the 12 months, together with a defeat in October on the pandemic-delayed BNP Paribas Open. She examined optimistic for the coronavirus in December, limiting her coaching for 2022. After that, she developed blisters and a hip damage that threatened to stop her from competing at Indian Wells this 12 months.

That’s why her pleasure got here from a deep and real place Friday when she wrapped up a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 victory over tough Caroline Garcia of France at Stadium 1, solely her second win this season. The gang cheered as she powered via the third set and superior to a third-round matchup with Petra Martic of Croatia on Sunday. “I believe this one positively meant loads to me,” Raducanu mentioned.

The expectations she created by successful the U.S. Open nonetheless exist, however she gained’t allow them to smother her. She is aware of that few tournaments would be the thrill journey she skilled in New York and he or she’s placing within the work to remain on the prime, slicing again non-tennis actions and constructing her days round coaching.

“I really feel like now individuals are beginning to notice, ‘It’s going to take a while for her to settle in,’” Raducanu mentioned. “I really feel like endurance is an enormous factor. As soon as I settle in and undergo all these highs and lows, I’ll discover some form of equilibrium.”

Stability has been elusive for different younger ladies who’ve gained Grand Slam singles titles in the previous couple of years.

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, who was 20 when she gained the French Open in 2017, reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2018 however hasn’t gotten previous the third spherical of a Slam since then. She dropped out of the highest 80 by July 2019 and solely just lately climbed again to No. 12. Bianca Andreescu of Canada, who was 18 when she prevailed at Indian Wells three years in the past and 19 when she gained the U.S. Open a couple of months later, has been affected by accidents. In December she introduced she would take a psychological well being break from the game.

American Sofia Kenin was 21 when she gained the Australian Open in 2020 and misplaced within the French Open ultimate however she hasn’t gone previous the fourth spherical of a Slam since. Unseeded right here and ranked a hundred and thirtieth on this planet, she misplaced within the first spherical to Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil. One other American, 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, ended a virtually four-year title drought by successful at Guadalajara final month. She then had the misfortune of drawing four-time Slam singles champion Naomi Osaka within the first spherical right here. Osaka, who took time without work final 12 months to guard her psychological well being, gained the final six video games to seal the match.

Paula Badosa of Spain hasn’t gained a Slam singles title however changing into the BNP Paribas Open champion final October added one thing to her life. “Loads of stress, to be sincere,” she mentioned. “I believe if there’s a participant that comes right here and says that she’s not burdened, she’s mendacity. So don’t consider her.

“In fact, there’s expectations. You’re nervous. You’re the favourite now. You are feeling like possibly now you need to win as a lot matches as you’ll be able to. Perhaps the opposite gamers play higher as a result of they don’t have anything to lose, you understand?”

Iga Swiatek of Poland, the 2020 French Open champion, is a rarity among the many ladies who’ve just lately gained Slams at a younger age in that she has maintained an upward pattern. Swiatek, at the moment at a career-best No. 4 world rating, gained 12 of the final 13 video games in opposition to Anhelina Kalinina on Friday to advance to the spherical of 32 on Sunday in opposition to Danish teen Clara Tauson.

Coco Gauff has been coping with huge expectations since she reached the fourth spherical at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old in 2019 and replicated her run in 2021. Gauff, who defeated Claire Liu of Thousand Oaks on Friday to arrange a third-round match on Sunday in opposition to former world No. 1 Simona Halep, has a wholesome perspective on her life and profession.

“For me, truthfully, it’s not likely about on-court accomplishments. It’s extra of how I’ve sort of accepted the whole lot and tried my greatest to be a very good function mannequin for teenagers,” mentioned Gauff, who might be 18 on Sunday.

Males’s tennis has been dominated by Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer for twenty years, although Daniil Medvedev broke via on the U.S. Open final 12 months. Ladies’s tennis has change into far much less predictable. With 23-time Slam singles winner Serena Williams on the sidelines — she hasn’t competed since a hamstring damage led her to retire within the first spherical at Wimbledon final 12 months — the Slams are up for grabs. No lady has gained a couple of Slam singles title in a calendar 12 months since 2016, when Angelique Kerber gained the Australian and U.S. Open championships.

Gauff, nonetheless evolving, seems on monitor to win her first Slam singles title within the subsequent few years. Osaka, who mentioned she’s specializing in bettering on clay, is able to successful many extra Slams. So is Swiatek. And preserve Raducanu within the dialog.

Earlier than she walked to the courtroom Friday she fist-bumped her compatriot and idol Andy Murray, who had simply earned his 700th profession victory. “Seven hundred wins is one thing I can simply dream of,” Raducanu mentioned. “I believe I’ve gained three now, so I’ve an extended solution to go.”

Protecting her objectives modest might assist her get there.