(Reuters) – U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has little expertise on clay at the elite stage however the 19-year-old says she is heading in the right direction on the floor forward of the French Open beginning later this month.
Raducanu has had combined outcomes following her maiden Grand Slam title ultimately yr’s U.S. Open however has had an encouraging run in the claycourt season the place she reached the Stuttgart quarter-finals and Madrid last-16.
She has been determining how you can adapt to the floor with out the assist of a full-time coach after splitting with Torben Beltz final month, and the Briton has taken a liking to the independence of teaching herself.
“I’d describe myself as a loner,” Raducanu, who faces Bianca Andreescu in the Italian Open first spherical this week, advised reporters.
“For the previous yr … I’ve had lots of people round me quite a bit and fairly often.
“To be on my very own is fascinating as a result of I’m form of discovering out quite a bit about myself, understanding what I would like and what I do not want.”
Raducanu performed her first skilled match on clay in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers final month and stated she has been studying about the floor as she performs.
“Clay could be very new to me,” she added.
“I positively really feel like I’ve been progressing with every week, bettering, getting a greater understanding of how you can play factors, when to remain in the level or when to remain aggressive.
“I do not assume I’m like the completed product in any respect. But, yeah, I’m heading in a very good direction.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
