Australian Open Director Says Players Like Emma Raducanu are Coming Closer to Serena Williams and Others

The first Grand Slam of the 2022 season, i.e the Australian Open 2022, is just two months away. The 2021 season is coming to an end and many players are now taking some time off the court.

While it will be intriguing to see big names like Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams at the major, fans are more excited to watch the performances of emerging stars like Carlos Almaraz, Emma Raducanu, and others there.

CEO of Tennis Australia believes that the gap between great and young players is closing rapidly

In a recent podcast, CEO of Tennis Australia and Australian Open Director Craig Tiley highlighted that there is a huge transition that is taking place in the sport. He mentioned that even though the legendary players like Roger Federer and Serena Williams are still dominating; they are getting some really tough competition from the next-gen players and thus, the gap between them is closing.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 01: Serena Williams of the United States and Roger Federer of Switzerland take a selfie on court following their mixed doubles match during day four of the 2019 Hopman Cup at RAC Arena on January 01, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“Yeah, there’s always a transition. We’ve enjoyed 15 years of these established champions. Serena and Venus on the women’s side and Maria Sharapova who’s just recently retired. And then, on the men’s side, Roger and Rafa but the gap between those greats and the young players are now close,” said Tiley.

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Tiley cites the example of Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez to emphasize his point

In the same podcast, Tiley took the names of the Raducanu and Fernandez and stated that nobody knew them before the US Open 2021 but they outperformed some quite incredible players there. Likewise, he feels that the Australian Open 2022 will also be full of excitement and surprises.

Sep 11, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Emma Raducanu hugs Leylah Fernandez after their match in the women’s singles final. Day thirteen of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

“That’s somewhere like Emma Raducanu beat Leylah Fernandez at the finals of the US Open. These were two names that people didn’t knew about. In 2019, Leylah Fernandez was in the finals in AO juniors. So, it’s gonna be really exciting- both tours men and women, particularly, in the women’s side. I think it’s gonna be more open,” added the CEO.

Fans are quite exhilarated about the Australian Open 2022. Will a next-gen player be able to conquer Melbourne this year?

Also Read: Australian Open 2022 Announces Exciting News For Fans

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