Back to the future for Raducanu

Emma Raducanu will play an exhibition match at London’s Royal Albert Hall in front of a sellout crowd today – but already she has been warned that go forward she first must go back to basics.

Former British No. Annabel Croft told the London Mail Raducanu her apprenticeship is only just beginning.

“She’s going back to the beginning, doing it in reverse and going through her apprenticeship now,” Croft said.

“Now she’s going to have to go through all these matches, where she’s going to have to learn about different situations, which will take time. She’s so young but I think she’s intelligent enough to cope with it.”

Raducanu has already talked a step forward by employing a new coach, Torben Beltz.

“He’ll be very good, he’s incredibly experienced,” Croft said.

“There will will be enormous pressure building towards Wimbledon and then the US Open but she will cope with all these changes in her life.”