Laura Robson thinks Emma Raducanu will absolutely want to play at the French Open this year because playing on clay is one thing that helps improve one’s game.
Last year, the Briton was selecting where to play and that included missing the Rome Open and Roland Garros.
However, some argued that it was because she didn’t get a wildcard for either of the two tournaments – the 22-year-old denied that claim.
For the past couple of months, Raducanu has repeated numerous times that her desire is to play a lot more this year.
If she is serious about that, then her plans for the clay season must be to play a full schedule.
And while grass remains the Briton’s top surface and the part of the calendar she will have circled, Robson thinks the 2021 US Open champion will also do her best to do well at Roland Garros.
“I think she’d like to do both (the French Open and Wimbledon). Clay is great for developing all areas of your game. [Especially] for tactical things and learning how to turn around matches in slower conditions,” Robson told Metro.
“Ideally you want the best of both worlds, playing well on clay and then grass. We’ll see what she decides – but I’m sure she wants to play a full schedule.”
Raducanu has had only one French Open appearance
So far, the 22-year-old has competed only once on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Emma Raducanu© YouTube screenshot
In her first and lone appearance which came in 2022, the current world No. 56 beat Linda Noskova before losing to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round.
In 2023, Raducanu was planning to play at the French Open but it didn’t happen after she decided to undergo three surgeries in May of that year.
When it comes to last year, it was already mentioned above as the former world No. 10 decided to skip the Parisian Slam and received criticism and backlash for that.
Tennis World USA