During her fairytale run in New York, Raducanu played like a seasoned veteran and seemed unfazed by the pressure and spotlight that came with every win. However, Bartoli feels that the 18-year-old’s circumstances were vastly different from what Osaka - who has won four Majors already - faces on a daily basis.
Naomi Osaka’s on-court triumphs have bagged her a ton of high-profile endorsements, making her one of the world’s highest paid athletes. The Japanese earned around $60 million last year thanks to her hefty endorsement portfolio coupled with her tennis earnings.
In that context, Marion Bartoli opined that it is difficult for players to keep aside their off-court issues and responsibilities when they step on the court to play. Bartoli believes that after a certain period, players cannot play with carefree abandon like they do at the start of their careers.
The Frenchwoman went on to claim it was simply not possible for Naomi Osaka to play like Emma Raducanu, whose inexperience at the pro level made her relatively impervious to pressure.
In Naomi Osaka’s case, her tennis achievements have put her under immense scrutiny. When brands invest in a player, it’s because they think they’re going to be successful. They don’t want them to lose at all, much less in the earlier rounds.
According to Bartoli, every match Osaka plays would feel like a must-win - not only for herself, but also for everyone that has invested in her. The Frenchwoman opined that that kind of pressure can cause anyone to crumble, since it takes the joy out of playing tennis.
Emma Raducanu & Leylah Fernandez didn’t have the kind of responsibilities that Naomi Osaka had: Marion Bartoli
Marion Bartoli went on to reiterate that unlike Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez were free from the additional responsibilities that come from being a top player. Fernandez, like Raducanu, made it all the way to the final of the US Open despite being in her teens.
Bartoli further claimed she wants to see if the youngsters, who have been catapulated into stardom following their US Open runs, are able to handle the pressure that comes from being in the spotlight.
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