Paris Olympics: Emma Raducanu has no regrets about choosing Washington rather than Paris
- The 21-year-old turned down the invitation to represent Team GB because she did not want to switch back to playing on clay before the US Open
Emma Raducanu insists her decision to skip the Olympics was “100 per cent the right option”.
The 21-year-old, who is still managing her comeback after wrist and ankle surgery, turned down the invitation to represent Team GB in Paris because she did not want to switch back to playing on clay at Roland Garros ahead of the forthcoming US Open, which she won in 2021.
She instead opted to head to the United States and will play in the Washington Open.
Raducanu had already admitted she had a bout of “FOMO” (fear of missing out) when she saw the opening ceremony in the French capital, but stood by the decision to not play.
“Had the Olympics been on a different surface, then I don’t know,” she said at her pre-tournament press conference in Washington, where she has been drawn against Belgian Elise Mertens.
“It’s obviously something that every athlete wants to be a part of. I had to think longer term. Hopefully I’ll have more Olympics in my career. I think coming here was 100 per cent the right option.