(CNN)Tennis fable John McEnroe has praised Emma Raducanu for her unthinkable triumph astatine this year's US Open and says helium stands by the comments helium made astir her aft her Wimbledon debut.
Raducanu upset the likelihood to go the archetypal qualifier to triumph a expansive slam during the Open epoch connected Saturday, beating chap teen Leylah Fernandez successful the last astatine Flushing Meadows.
Her breathtaking performances successful New York came disconnected the backmost of a promising debut astatine Wimbledon conscionable 2 months before, wherever she reached the 4th circular earlier withdrawing with "breathing difficulties."
"Totally unexpected. Never thought it would hap successful my beingness to spot an 18 and 19-year-old bash it," McEnroe told CNN's Christiane Amanpour, speaking of the all-teen last astatine the US Open.
"I deliberation the women's crippled is much unfastened than it's ever been truthful that's a motion that a batch much players deliberation they person a chance.
"I can't ideate anyone successful her [Raducanu] campy expected this. To triumph the US Open without losing a set, that's crazy. She's a tremendous athlete, she seems similar a large kid."
Wimbledon contention
Following Raducanu's withdrawal from Wimbledon, McEnroe was criticized for saying the concern had go "too much" for her.
At the time, it was not wide what made the youngster halt playing, but she aboriginal said the "whole acquisition caught up with me" and that she began to "breathe heavy and felt dizzy" aft a fig of "super aggravated rallies."
McEnroe received backlash from radical saying helium was questioning the youngster's intelligence spot but insists helium ne'er meant to origin discourtesy and lone ever intended to enactment the breakthrough star.
"I meant precisely what I said," helium added. "I tried to subordinate it successful a tiny mode to my acquisition erstwhile I archetypal went to Wimbledon besides astatine 18 and managed to suffice similar Emma did.
"I played Jimmy Connors, I hadn't been connected Centre Court. I retrieve my limb shaking and being wholly overwhelmed by the acquisition and astir blessed I didn't win.
"There's a batch of large upsides, but there's besides unit you enactment connected yourself and expectations that others enactment connected you.
"Compared to a batch of different things I've said successful the past, I mean that was to maine arsenic vanilla arsenic it comes. I was precise supportive of her, I thought, astatine the time."
The seven-time expansive slam singles victor -- who was renowned for his mid-match antics -- says helium hopes Raducanu tin woody with the newfound attraction connected her career.
The teen was hardly known extracurricular of tennis earlier this twelvemonth but is present 1 of the biggest stars successful the game.
"I don't deliberation you could perchance bash it immoderate amended than she did it [at the U.S. Open]," McEnroe added. "That's insane that she's been capable to bash this."
"Of course, unit comes with that, anticipation comes with that. I'm definite she expects to triumph a batch much moving forward."
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