Andy Murray backs Emma Raducanu to deal with adversity in defeat, saying: "She would certainly be a lot better equipped to deal with everything that's going on than most and deal with it in a more mature way than I'd have done when I was 18"
Tuesday 12 October 2021 10:45, UK
Andy Murray believes Emma Raducanu suffered just a "little bump" in her first match since winning the US Open at Indian Wells and has backed the teenager to deal with the adversity in a mature way.
British teenager Raducanu did not drop a set in 10 matches en route to winning the US Open title in sensational fashion at Flushing Meadows last month.
Expectations were high in her first match since victory in New York but the 18-year-old lost 6-2 6-4 to Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round of the Indian Wells tournament in California.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray is backing Raducanu to deal with expectations and disappointment that come her way.
"What happened in New York was obviously incredible but in tennis and sport it doesn't just go in an upwards direction all the time," former world No 1 Murray told reporters.
"There's always little bumps and stuff along the way. It's just a little bump, but I think pretty much everyone was sort of expecting that as well. I don't think it's anything unexpected, to be honest."
The Scot, who fended off a challenge from US Open quarter-finalist Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and set up a meeting with Alexander Zverev, continued: "She's unbelievably bright, well educated and stuff.
"So you would imagine she would certainly be a lot better equipped to deal with everything that's going on than most and deal with it in a more mature way than I'd have done when I was 18."
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