Emma Raducanu insists she won’t quit at 25 like Ash Barty

Emma Raducanu believes that avoiding the tennis hothouse as a teenager will mean she does not emulate Ash Barty in opting for an abrupt, early retirement.

With the tennis world still digesting the shock announcement of the world number one’s departure from the sport, Raducanu feels like she can go on playing into her thirties.

Having declared she has fulfilled her dreams, Barty wants to pursue other interests, and will not be back to defend her Wimbledon title this summer.

The 25 year-old Australian took time off in her teen years to play professional cricket, slightly equivalent with the way Raducanu stayed on at school to complete two A-levels.

‘For me, I want to be in the game as long as possible. I’m only 19. I’ve just come on tour and I want to be in the game till I’m in my 30s,’ said the British number one ahead of making her debut at the Miami Open.

‘I took 18 months off in 2020 and started in 2021. Because I had that desire to really be out there on the court, I was so hungry, I feel like I had some great results last summer.

Raducanu does not want to emulate Ash Barty (above) by abruptly retiring from the sport

As a result, Barty (above) will not be back to defend her Wimbledon title this summer

‘It just shows you don’t need to be only tennis, tennis, tennis. I think that education part helped a lot. I know a lot of players who quit school when they’re 12 or 13. They overtrain and they pick up injuries. When you’re that young, it’s not healthy to be training that many hours.

‘I feel by having school it definitely kept my mind occupied. Opened up the more intellectual side of tennis, because I feel like I like to use my brain more. I really like motorsport, so when I get time off, which is pretty rare, I just try and spend time with my family and friends, catch up, always following the races.’

Raducanu will face either Katerina Siniakova or Canada’s Rebecca Marino after getting a first round bye. 

‘Right now all I care about is getting through the season in one piece,’ she added. ‘ I feel like because I have been losing early every week, I don’t really care because I kind of like the challenge of being knocked down and trying to climb back up there.’

The 19-year-old (above) has said that there is more to life than just ‘tennis, tennis, tennis’

Barty’s announcement came without warning in the early hours of Tuesday morning, although there had been hints in the way she pulled out of this month’s American events on the flimsiest of premises.

A superb all-round player with a majestic sliced backhand, she had won three different Majors on different surfaces and leaves while being the outstanding player in the women’s game.

It is a huge blow to the WTA Tour, which now has Poland’s Iga Swiatek as its de facto world number one. ‘You already know that I like to cry, so I was crying for a long time,’ said the former French Open champion.

Barty is still young enough to change her mind at some point, and would not be the first tennis champion to do so.

Raducanu will face either Katerina Siniakova (above) or Rebecca Marino after a first round bye