Google News Martina Navratilova reveals key thing on which Emma Raducanu needs to focus
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 4176
Former 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova thinks Emma Raducanu is a "big unknown" at the Indian Wells Masters and added that the Briton definitely needs to focus on getting her health to 100 percent. Raducanu hasn't had a great start to the year as at the Australian Open he suffered a surprise second round loss to Danka Kovinic after being hampered by blisters.
Raducanu returned to action in Gudalajara, where she retired her first round match midway through the third set due to a hip injury. Raducanu suffered a surprise second round defeat to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in her Indian Wells debut last year.
"Raducanu, talk about a big unknown. She needs to get her body healthy, get that straightened out," Navratilova told the WTA website.
Navratilova on Simona Halep, Jelena Osrapenko
Both Halep and Ostapenko have had good starts to the season, especially Ostapenko who is playing arguably her best tennis since her stunning 2017 season.
"As consistent as Halep should be, she’s not. She should love it at both Indian Wells and Miami; I think she can defend better at Indian Wells with the slower courts. Her game has lacked some consistency. Her game is there, but she keeps struggling with how to be more aggressive.
She still kind of second-guessing herself when she manages to get to the net. She overreacts when she gets aggressive and goes back to her default mode, which is playing defense," Navratilova said. "Ostapenko, she still struggles with her serve.
Most serves are just one-two – her serve is one-two-three-four. She has not been able to fix her serve and that still gets in the way. When the serve goes down, it bleeds down into the rest of your game. When she’s on, though, my goodness.
She takes the ball early, she’s fearless, she misses and she just hits the ball harder the next time. If she misses that one, she hits it harder yet. She takes people out of their rhythm. I think she’ll be better off on the faster courts in Miami."