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Mats Wilander believes Emma Raducanu will have to produce a "superhuman effort" to win the Australian Open and pocket back-to-back Grand Slams.
Raducanu stunned the tennis world at the US Open, where she became the first-ever qualifier to win a Major. The Brit won the Slam without dropping a set, making her triumph all the more remarkable.
However, the 19-year-old struggled for form after her sensational triumph and went on to contract COVID-19 last month. As such, she is no longer being seen as one of the favorites for the 2022 Australian Open.
Mats Wilander, for his part, pointed out that even though Emma Raducanu could operate at a high level during the Slam, winning back-to-back Majors might be too tall an order for the Brit.
"I think that there is a good chance that her level is very high," Mats Wilander said to Eurosport. "But to believe it's possible to win another Grand Slam again so soon... I think that takes some kind of a superhuman effort."
Wilander reckons Raducanu might be able to navigate her way to the quarterfinals, banking on her "athletic ability." He also believes that should the Brit reach the semifinals, she would back herself to go all the way.
"If she's able to just rely on her athletic ability to win most of the matches that she gets involved in and then hope that she's in the quarter-finals, then the semis are placed against number one and number two, that something happens and she suddenly believes she can beat that person then yeah, it's possible," added the Swede.
"I feel like the pressure that's on Emma Raducanu from the first round is very weird" - Mats Wilander
Emma Raducanu has been in the spotlight ever since she created history by winning the US Open. Being British has only increased the media scrutiny on her. That means Raducanu is under huge amounts of pressure at every event she plays.
Mats Wilander believes this is not a desirable situation for Raducanu, given no teenage athlete can successfully deal with such expectations.
"I feel like the pressure that's on her from the first round is very weird," Mats Wilander said. "I don't know if there is a person that is able to put aside the social media and the media hype that surrounds a professional athlete, I don't know if that person exists, who's under 20 years old, I think they are all going to be affected."
"I see it as a massive problem for professional tennis players that are 17, 18, 19. The social media stuff has to be put to the side."
