Tim Henman changes his tune on Emma Raducanu after dire US Open exit - 'She can do better'
Emma Raducanu has come under fire for her US Open exit
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British tennis legend Tim Henman has changed his mind on Emma Raducanu after she crashed out of the US Open on Tuesday night.
The 2021 US Open winner was beaten 6-1 3-6 6-4 by Sofia Kenin, renowned for her temper earlier this year, to send the Briton packing after the first round.
It continues Raducanu's shocking record of having never won a US Open match since her famous win three years ago.
Working for Sky Sports as an analyst, Henman has admitted he got it wrong after insisting that the 21-year-old had prepared perfectly for the Flushing Meadows tournament.
Emma Raducanu has come under fire for her US Open exit
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Henman said: “This has all been a rebuilding process when she's coming back from the surgeries. When she has played she has played very well.
“That was a big chunk of the summer to miss.
"Obviously they were big tournaments and she wasn't a direct acceptance [into the main draw] but in hindsight she probably should have been in qualifying to get those match reps under her belt.
“She's learning all the time and fingers crossed she's going to have many more opportunities here at the US Open in the future.
"I still think her game is moving in the right direction and there are still elements that she can do better.”
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Henman had previously praised Raducanu for skipping qualifiers in Toronto or Cincinnati with the youngster still getting back into the swing of tennis.
She missed most of last season after undergoing three operations - two on both wrists and one on her ankle.
Raducanu was reduced to tears after crashing out of the US Open but insisted she will be back in his press conference.
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Sofia Kenin beat Emma Raducanu in the first round of the US Open
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She said: “I feel down, I feel sad. Obviously, this is a tournament I really want to do well in. I was maybe a bit slow starting.
"I would have preferred to probably play, a little bit more before coming into the US Open.
"You know, I know when I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good. You feel like everything's automatic.
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Emma Raducanu has insisted she will bounce back from her US Open heartbreak
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"So yeah, I think I can learn from it. And you know my manage my schedule slightly differently.
“I'm just going to go back to the drawing board and train and analyse where I went wrong and try and improve for the rest of the season.
"Obviously the Slams are over for this year, but it's not actually that long until Australia comes around again (in January)."