Critics accuse him of preferring marketing and social events over training, signing one after another lucrative sponsorship deals. This week, however, the 19-year-old native of Toronto, Canada, toiled at the Prague tvanice until clay was sprinkled on the back of her sneakers.

On Friday and Saturday, he will play England’s number one role in the fight for the Billie Jean King’s Cup final tournament against domestic favorites Czech.

Seven months ago in New York, he shocked the sporting world without going overboard. He won a Grand Slam title as a player in the second hundred and as a first qualifier in history. He became the first tennis player in history to win ten matches in a single tournament. Moreover, without losing a set and without a single tie-break.

It soon turned into a gold mine, and it’s no surprise that a swarm of leading companies hungry for cooperation came to the daughter of a Romanian father and Chinese mother.

When she recently lost in the second round to Czech Kateřina Siniaková in Miami, and in the same week she announced a partnership with the automaker Porsche, especially on social networks.

“You may see on the news or on the network that I signed this and that contract, which is very misleading because I train five or six hours a day. I spend twelve hours a day at the club,” Raducanu told British media. .

“I shared one photo from the car when I went to training, and suddenly everyone wrote me to focus on tennis. That’s not fair. I only spent very limited time with sponsors,” face Evian, Dior, Tiffany and Co. continue., Vodafone or British Airways.

Raducanu quickly built his brand and already makes more in advertising than tennis.

“I am grateful for the contract, but most importantly I focus on tennis. That is my clear priority,” he said at the end of March.

The stop came from world tennis icon Chris Evert. Instead, he praised Raducan for his incredible pressure.

“Being a superstar in England is the hardest thing in the world for athletes. It’s even worse than in America. The roads in England are brutal, tireless, you have to have hippo skin and Emma handles it well. She works hard and it’s hard to do. turned down the ad opportunity “Winner of eighteen grand slam tournaments” told Eurosport.

According to Evert, Raducan had experiences that practically no one else had before.

“Winning a grand slam when you’re not in a hundred? It’s something crazy to follow. But to have a great game and a great approach. I’m not worried about that,” added the tennis legend.

Yet another former American star, Pam Shriver, doubts that Raducan will soon be able to follow through on his incredible, lightning-fast rise.

“The only thing that has remained the same is his name and the sport he does. Everything else has changed for him. And if you’re a teenager there may be too many changes. I’d be surprised if he’s still in his top 20 at the end of the year. ,” he said.

Everything that the 19-year-old girl has met in the past year has been compounded by the dark side of the giant’s popularity.

Since last November, the new global superstar has been molested by a 35-year-old worshiper. He spends his weeks at his parents’ home in London, leaving gifts and messages of unsolicited love. Before Christmas, he decorated the tree in front of his house with Christmas lights, and Raducanu returned to court after some awkward encounters.

He admits that he feels that his freedom has been taken away. The stalker was given a five-year ban on rest, community service and an electronic ankle bracelet.

The nineteen year old girl is used to a whole new life and you know that on the pitch. He has played in eight tournaments since the US Open and won just four games. There are also health problems in the back and left hip.

“I have to step up and I have to learn to be patient. There is also a need for those who follow me to be patient,” the 12th player in the current world rankings told fans and critics alike.

In Prague, he will play the role of team leader, with clay, which will be played in the Prague tvanice, but he has very minimal experience. In statistics, she has not played a single official match between women on the orange field.

“But if someone wins a grand slam, they might be dangerous,” said Czech captain Petr Pála. “It’s a different game, of course, and we have to understand it. But the girl has a big future,” he added.

British tennis players in training on tvanice:

British captain Anne Keothavong admits that Raducanu is going through a difficult time.

“There has been and a lot of noise around her. She is learning to work with it. She has to get used to the attention and expectations associated with a Grand Slam winner. She’s a smart girl, I’m sure she can handle it,” he said.

After reaching the Roland Garros final in 2019, then nineteen-year-old Czech, Markéta Vondroušová, endured the same burden. “But there’s about a thousand times more things going on around him. I’m quite sorry for him. It’s hard to keep everything young,” Vondroušová insists.