'That must have been a lot of pressure': Bianca Andreescu admits Emma Raducanu faced tougher challenges than her after winning US Open

Canada’s Bianca Andreescu believes that Britain’s Emma Raducanu has faced tougher challenges than her. Both Andreescu and Raducanu had similar trajectories in their respective careers, and they can be compared to some extent.

Andreescu broke onto the scene in 2019 when she lifted the US Open after beating the former world number one Serena Williams in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-5. At the age of her triumph, Andreescu was just 19 years old.

On the other hand, Raducanu lifted her first major and, to date, her only major title, just like Andreescu in New York two years later. She defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3. The most impressive aspect of that win was the fact that Raducanu became the first player ever to win a Grand Slam after starting the competition from the qualifying round.

Since then, however, both Andreescu and Raducanu have faced difficulties in producing similar results on the court, largely due to fitness issues. Neither of the players has managed to play in the quarterfinal of any Grand Slam ever since lifting their maiden major titles.

Andreescu has recently spoken to Tennis 365 where she admitted that Raducanu had a tougher journey than her. Andreescu highlighted that Raducanu faced more scrutiny because she comes from Great Britain. “Coming from Britain, she’s definitely had it tougher than me,” believes Andreescu. “The fame, the pressure from sponsors… that must have been a lot of pressure.”

It’s great to see Emma coming back to the top, says Andreescu

Back in 2023, while speaking to The Sunday Times, Raducanu admitted that she wished she had not won the US Open so early in her career. Raducanu stated that winning such a big tournament so early exposed her to the world and did not give her enough time to mature. Raducanu also shared her feelings about how difficult it was for her to navigate through the industry full of ‘sharks’ who treated her like a ‘piggy bank’.

"That moment on the court, when I was celebrating, I was like, I would literally trade any struggle in the world for this moment," said Raducanu back then. "Since then I've had a lot of setbacks, one after the other. I am resilient, my tolerance is high, but it's not easy. And sometimes I think to myself I wish I'd never won the U.S. Open. I had to mature very quickly. When I won I was extremely naive. What I have realised in the past two years, the tour and everything that comes with it, it's not a very nice, trusting and safe space. You have to be on guard because there are a lot of sharks out there. I think people in the industry, especially with me because I was 19, now 20, they see me as a piggy bank. It has been difficult to navigate. I have been burnt a few times. I have learnt, keep your circle as small as possible."

Andreescu, during the same interview, also lamented the fact that she did not receive good advice after winning her only Grand Slam title. Andreescu, who is currently ranked world number 177 in the singles category and is competing in the doubles event at the ongoing Wuhan Open, also praised Raducanu for the kind of performances she has delivered in recent times. “For me, I definitely feel I could have done with a little more guidance after (US Open win) and maybe I would have done things a little differently,” said Andreescu. “It’s great to see Emma coming back to the top, and she is playing some great tennis at the moment. She was close to beating Pegula last week, so that shows the level she is playing at.”