"Don't think I've ever heard a professional player use as many basic excuses" - Emma Raducanu 'blaming' day schedule for Qatar Open 1R loss irks fans

Emma Raducanu attributing her first-round loss at the 2024 Qatar Open to the day schedule has irked tennis fans.

Playing their second match against each other, Anhelina Kalinina defeated Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) in one hour and 39 minutes in Doha. Kalinina had previously emerged victorious against the Brit in their first meeting at the 2022 Madrid Open, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Following her loss to the Ukrainian, during the post-match on-court interview, Emma Raducanu admitted that she struggled to find her rhythm against Kalinina. She acknowledged that she needs to focus on outdoor training as it is different compared to indoor practice sessions.

The former World No. 10 also expressed difficulty in playing outside, particularly towards the end of the match. She attributed this struggle to the interference caused by sunlight and shadows, which affected her ability to see the ball.

"To be honest, I felt like I never really got into it. I think it was a combination of things. It's like my first day match. I think I've played in a year, so that's different. Honestly, I think I need to practice training outside a bit more because it's very different, and also the light, conditions, shadows - it's really hard to kind of see the ball, I found towards the end," Raducanu said.

Fans were left baffled after hearing such excuses from the former US Open champion and took to social media to share their opinions on the same.

One fan expressed their astonishment, claiming they had never witnessed a professional tennis player resort to such elementary excuses, such as blaming the influence of daytime and shadows, as Raducanu did.

"I don't think I've ever heard a professional tennis player use as many basic excuses as Raducanu. Daytime? Shadows? I'm not sure that can explain 48 unforced errors," a fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan stated that they were appalled that the 21-year-old attributed her loss to the sunlight. They deemed these excuses as a laughable attempt to justify her poor performance.

"Laughing and blaming the outdoors,she is a joker," the fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

A brief look into Emma Raducanu's 2024 season

Emma Raducanu at the 2023 Qatar Open

Emma Raducanu's 2023 season was plagued with injuries and surgeries, as she had to undergo three surgeries on her right ankle and both wrists. After her last appearance at the 2023 Stuttgart Open in April, she took an eight-month hiatus to recover and recuperate from her injuries.

Raducanu began her 2024 season at the ASB Classic, where she secured a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory in her first match against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. However, her journey in New Zealand was cut short in the second round when she faced a 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-1 defeat against Elina Svitolina.

Then, at the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, Emma Raducanu won her first-round match, defeating American Shelby Rogers 6-3, 6-2. She then faced Wang Yafan in the second round, who defeated her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, putting an end to her campaign at the Melbourne Major.

The former World No. 10 traveled to the UAE to play at the Abu Dhabi Open. In the first round, she defeated Marie Bouzkova in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-1. However, Raducanu's campaign ended in the second round when she was defeated 4-6, 1-6 by Ons Jabeur.