Emma admits she envies GB Olympians

Voluntary Olympic absentee Emma Raducanu has confessed that part of her feels the pain of not playing Paris after making herself unavailable for Team GB.

The former US Open winner whose career has taken a rankings dive since that day in September, 2021, skipped the Games due to troubles in making the switch from grass to the clay of Roland Garros.

She last touched clay three months ago in a Madrid first-round loss and later skipped the French Open. But her work on grass did not pay big dividends, with a fourth-round defeat by qualifier Lulu Sun.

Raducanu has cut her losses and will try to come good on hardcourts at the WTA Washington event this week.

But Raducanu admits there is something missing for her this summer.

“Of course, there are elements of FOMO (fear of missing out),” she told local media.

“Watching the Olympic ceremony, everybody in their team kits, a part of you obviously wants to be there and representing your country.

“When I think big picture, long-term, it’s (skipping the Games) the right call.”

The Brit explained her own fear of abruptly switching surfaces.

“I would say for me, staying on one surface is important. The change in surface isn’t the best thing for me right now. In the future, maybe it would have been.

“At this moment in time, I think switching to clay straight after grass, it’s such a big contrast, then back onto the hard courts, 

“I didn’t want to risk anything. For me, this option was just a lot better.”

The Washington field is headed  by WTA No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka, who withdrew prior to the Wimbledon start with a shoulder injury.