Emma Raducanu has spoken out on the backlash she faced after pulling out of her scheduled mixed doubles match with Andy Murray at Wimbledon.
Murray was given an emotional Wimbledon tribute on Centre Court earlier in the first week of the Championship after his loss in the men’s doubles alongside brother Jamie Murray.
But the three-time Grand Slam champion was also set to play in the mixed doubles draw alongside compatriot Raducanu.
The British pair were a late addition to the mixed doubles draw after Murray reached out to Raducanu on the eve of the deadline.
Emma Raducanu called the backlash ‘extremely difficult’
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The 21-year-old admitted at the time that it was an offer she simply couldn’t refuse, despite the possibility it would see her play twice in one day.
The decision also came before Raducanu won both her second and third-round singles matches at Wimbledon as her draw began to open up for a deep run.
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And Raducanu caused a social media storm when she decided to withdraw from playing the mixed doubles with Murray, denying him the chance of at least one more appearance at Wimbledon.
When the news was announced, Judy Murray appeared to take a pop at Raducanu’s withdrawal by posting on X: “Yes, astonishing.”
Raducanu continued to face backlash online after inadvertently ending Murray’s Wimbledon career with her withdrawal.
The 2021 US Open champion was knocked out of the singles draw the following day and defended her decision to pull out as she felt it necessary to prioritise herself after feeling ‘stiffness’.
And Raducanu still has no regrets as she makes her return to Flushing Meadows, hitting back at the backlash she received.
“It’s very easy for the entire nation and for the press too to be very harsh on me and I think I can be very hard on myself because I’m a perfectionist,” Raducanu told Elle magazine.
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Emma Raducanu is back at the US Open for the first time since 2022
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“It’s extremely difficult when something doesn’t go to plan.
“Some losses hurt more than others.”
Murray didn’t hold a grudge against Raducanu either for the situation as he was content with how his Wimbledon career ended.
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Judy Murray appeared to take a dig at Emma Raducanu at the time
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“Everyone is going to look out for their best interests and what it is that they do. I understand that, and I don’t have an issue with that,” he said.
“Getting to finish playing at Wimbledon on Centre Court with my brother was unbelievably special.
“That obviously wasn’t how I’d planned it. That’s how it ended up, and I’m really happy about that.
“I’m not frustrated or bitter about it. I’m happy that I got to finish playing at Wimbledon with my brother.”