After Emma Raducanu’s success, what are the barriers to playing tennis?

Emma Raducanu's American dream continued today with appearances on two prime time US breakfast TV shows.
(Subscribe: bit.ly/C4_News...)
The tennis star went straight from centre court, to being courted by brands, jostling to sign her up for millions of pounds worth of sponsorship deals and endorsements.
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[@hugo9547]

As someone who played academy tennis in Sutton, it's all about money. I was nowhere good enough to turn pro, but there are so many kids with untapped potential who'd rather play football in this country as it's affordable and doesn't have the financial (and heavily elitist) barriers tennis in the UK does. If you go to France, Spain and Italy, you'll realise that a lot of working-class kids play club tennis because there are affordable indoor courts that aren't occupied by snobby old rich people. So if we can A) Invest in more indoor courts so tennis can be played all year round as opposed to only in the summer and B) Make tennis an affordable sport that doesn't cost over £10 an hour simply to have a hit then we could quite easily replicate the Murray and Emmas of this world in next to no time given our 60m+ population and economic standing in the world.

[@mercury6765]

Spot on. I remember wanting to play at university and the indoor courts next to the campus were £15-20 per hour - way beyond the budget of a student.

[@timcomley3241]

Great shout

[@tomhermens7698]

Very true! In europe every village has a tennis hall. Cheap to build.

[@mercury6765]

@@tomhermens7698 I think every village on the continent of Europe is an exaggeration…

[@narikaba439]

Same problem in US with snobby old farts hogging the courts. And in the last few years whole new hords of snobby old farts taking over tennis courts to play pickle ball.

[@bbcfakenews9677]

Raducanu is the latest 'one in a million'. For every Raducanu there are 999,999 young hopefuls all over the world who work just as hard - and want to win fame and fortune just as badly - who will never become professional tennis players. Several things are required - talent, hard work, support, know-how, money... and huge dollops of luck.

[@archiesutherland6127]

less than 999,000. With hard work and talent with correct club is enough to get near or on pro scene imo

[@bbcfakenews9677]

@@archiesutherland6127 Yes. You may be right. But this is the situation with all major sports now. A million kids dream of playing centre forward for Barcelona. Out of this particular million, only one will do it. This individual needs nearly the same attributes as Raducanu - talent, hard work, support, know-how... and huge dollops of luck. For the young footballer, money would probably not be involved in the same way.

[@melgrant7404]

Money being the most important.

[@bbcfakenews9677]

@@melgrant7404 Yes. Money and the attitudes of the parents are probably as important as talent and personal drive.

[@8RAMSAY8]

@@bbcfakenews9677 I agree. especially about the attitudes of the parents. I don't know anyone who competed at a high level in an individual sport (such as tennis or swimming) who did not have extremely pushy parents

[@puelladvie6317]

How nice is Virginia Wade 😍

[@mvubu6823]

There are very few barriers to playing tennis There are barriers to being a world class athlete is every single sport. Most of those barriers are mental, even for the most privileged. It's hard. Very very hard.

[@newhappiness4410]

Whatever you think about CH4, they have to be commended for the extra funding for grassroots tennis to show the match on normal TV

[@jamesadcock5235]

Must of cost quite a bit. It was awesome to watch that match live on a Saturday night take my hat off to them

[@spanishpeaches2930]

@@jamesadcock5235 An 11 figure sum apparently. For once C4 did the right thing.

[@helveticaification]

When her smiley face fills the small screen, she looks like a super-cute star-cherub, but then she speaks, and stands alongside men shorter than her (she's 5'9") and you realise she can look after herself!

[@mikthe2004]

5'8", but that's still reasonably tall for a woman.

[@JimPlebeian]

The only barriers are the ones you put there yourself!

[@jasondevon481]

@@mutatis-mutandis That is a loser's mentality.

[@JimPlebeian]

@@mutatis-mutandis thinking like that is perfect example of putting your own barriers up!

[@BOZ_11]

@@JimPlebeian pleb

[@russcoleman2338]

Agree......yachting, polo, show jumping, F1 racing take $$$$$.....Anyone can afford a tennis racket. Borg only had a tennis racket beccause his father won one in a ping pong tournament. He also had a wall to hit against. His parents worked in a factory.

[@PoldarkGodzilla]

@@mutatis-mutandis in English?

[@mikthe2004]

It's an expensive sport, and a sport that requires a lot of practice. I'd say tennis and golf are the most technical sports. You need to develop a large range of skills to compete successfully. As a parent with a son who plays tennis. money and time are both barriers. How much money can you spend, and how much time do you have to drive your kids around? If both parents work it's almost impossible to get your son to practice sessions after school or matches. It's not a sport where you can just play weekends, and expect to get anywhere. Europe seems to have lots of indoor courts, so practising year round is possible. Australia - Perth - has none! Usually our weather here is pretty good, but we've just had our wettest July for 26 years. The rest of Winter was equally rained out, so we had 2 week periods where we couldn't practice at all!! So yeah. Barriers!! There is plenty!! I always joke with the other parents, that I wish my son played soccer or something that I wouldn't have to be involved with at all. 🤣🤣🤣

[@iamshadowbanned699]

That is so eye-opening. Good luck with your son's tennis career.

[@mattysonline]

It is an expensive sport, round my way £10 an hour to hire an indoor court, £10 an hour for a group lesson £25 an hour for a private lesson and that is at a sports centre run on behalf of the local council. If I wanted to enlist my kids in a club there are up front fees to pay as well like having at least one parent being a member if you want to enrol your child there, at the cost of around £200 a year I don't even have time to play tennis, as well paying for the lessons and court time again. UK government investing more in sport dream on not this cut throat government. Which is why we don't see many exceptional players regularly emerging.

[@timcomley3241]

You ain’t wrong

[@GokuBlack-sn5dr]

the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, the game is the game

[@GokuBlack-sn5dr]

@@zlmdragon. everyone is equal? so I guess you don't believe racism exists

[@marioarias9942]

Individual sports are always more difficult to train in . It takes perseverance and lots of support from parents .

[@robertmartin7594]

​@@GokuBlack-sn5drI wholeheartedly believe playing the 'race card' exists !!

[@rosliromasarms2111]

I'm here becoz of Emma Raducanu.. Subhanallah...

[@Matt00740]

Let be honest, Emma’s journey is remarkable and inspiring, but even her as a daughter of immigrant parents her parents background it’s sound as it is not of an average bus driver or building side working immigrant parent. I have no doubt her parents worked hard to be able to afford her a life and opportunity to go to Tennis clubs which are expensive and for working class families unaffordable. Her story it’s extraordinary and I hope more investment would be done to other areas other than just west London.

[@Marvin-dg8vj]

South East London. Raducanu went to a selective grammar school which shared a site with a large tennis centre.It seemed to " churn out " athletes .Private schools have excellent resources but there are very few state schools with this on site .She seems to have targeted from a young age

[@PoldarkGodzilla]

Who cares she came feom an immigrant background, she never struggled, achieved everything, glad to be british i would imagine 👌

[@robinaldred312]

All grammar schools are selective in as much as you have to pass an 11+ exam to get in but they are actually state run schools not private. Also, Emma's parents did not allow her to travel and compete during lockdown instead having her focus on her education. Yes tennis is expensive, but then so is just about every sport if you want to play to an elite level.

[@roastnut]

She also had assistance from the LTA, so this definitely lightened the load in terms of coaching.

[@ggin1]

What a whirlwind adventure for Raducanu! I live in a major city in the US in California. There are no shortage of courts here. We can play pickup or rally almost anytime during the day. After-work hours might be a little more difficult though. Tennis is encouraged starting in high school. The more affluent are not shy to pay for tennis lessons for their kids early in their youth (especially girls). Public courts are not always in the best of shape, but are usually accessible. There are better courts run by the city where you pay a nominal fee to play. All are affordable (not unreasonable at all) considering the condition of the courts. I'm surprised to learn that England does not have such amenities for their youth, considering it is THE place renowned for tennis (ie, Wimbledon). Here in the states, we consider Wimbledon to be the elite tournament in addition to the US Open -- of course the rest of the slams and majors too, for the more serious tennis fan. Virginia Wade is correct, you must give your youth the opportunity to enjoy and develop through tennis. You don't necessarily need champions, you just need folks who enjoy the game of tennis.

[@Zoe-gl3mr]

I love her smile

[@honestly679]

Yes. My husband and I were truly captured by that smile of hers.

[@john.highheels.3244]

Certainly a great promising Canadian tennis player.

[@RPRIMICI]

Nice to see new faces in women's tennis reaching the top. I'm tired of the Williams sisters, Osaka. Time for some new blood at the top.

[@hourbee5535]

We need to find barriers. If you don't find some, you are not looking hard enough.

[@Andy-hb8kl]

Typical Channel 4. Can't you just enjoy her win???

[@markrymanowski719]

We've been hearing about lack of investment for decades. Nothing will change. They just don't want a working class hero.

[@russcoleman2338]

Not enough space. I moved from London to Texas and every sub division..(housing estate) has tennis courts. There are also huge complexes where you can play for a few $'s. The William's sisters, Lori McNeil, Zina Garrison, Jimmy Connors, Borg etc etc....all came from very poor backgrounds & became top 10 players.

[@oviros]

if she`d go for audition in Hollywood,easy peasy to get a role,for sure.Need for speed ?(driver),or some Bruce Lee type hype roles?action movie star,definetely

[@stevenlaw310]

No barriers

[@iainrae6159]

After the London Olympics the hope was more children would get active in sports. This proved a false hope as many kids were not interested. Only through hard work and a positive attitude do you even get to the starting line. Yes, money helps, but folks still have to make the effort like the amazing Emma.

[@Marvin-dg8vj]

She ain't that well at the start but access to resources and coaching is key for those outside private school price range

[@caio5987]

Oh come on, seriously? She’s won one grand slam and the British press is already saying she will be a billionaire????? Talk about hyping it up

[@dobryden8558]

It's not hype if it's happening!!🤔

[@caio5987]

@@dobryden8558 it was also happening for Naomi Osaka Didn’t turn out well did it?

[@caio5987]

@M that’s what I’m saying... I’ve been around for long enough to know that any new female tennis player gets hyped up to be the next big thing only for them to fall into the wayside... It has happen way too often

[@spanishpeaches2930]

Never heard anyone saying anything about being a billionaire.

[@jasondevon481]

There are no barriers at all to anything if you want to do something and be really good at it.

[@BOZ_11]

"There are no barriers at all to anything" - have you ever actually tried to do anything worthwhile in order to say that? to say you're idealistic is an understatement

[@spanishpeaches2930]

If you are 5'3" you will never make the NBA. There are barriers everywhere. All you can do is focus on being the very best you can. Unfortunately some barriers make certain dreams an impossibility.

[@JiminhoMrC]

Channel 4, ALWAYS looking for the negative, ALWAYS

[@spanishpeaches2930]

It's their Tourettes, they just cannot help themselves.

[@jamesallen3887]

How long before she ditches UK for tax free Monaco?

[@danjonmills]

Can you blame her? This government's disgusting handling of our tax money is truly scandalous. If you could protect your riches from these corrupt scumbags, wouldn't you?

[@akhusal]

I believe she is too intelligent and nice to be materialistic, she gave her us open winnings straight to her parents to pay tax and expenses.

[@jamesallen3887]

@@akhusal theyll all leave, trust me.. 40% of 2.5m?

[@jamesallen3887]

@@danjonmills daaaamn right!

[@Irishtradchannel]

Not being rich and privileged?

[@b.h.7423]

Virginia Wade ……blood pouring down her leg……….. truth

[@jtv848]

Please dont turn into a Eugenie Bouchard

[@benlau4026]

"unleashes her mandarin" i chuckled at the reporters positioning.

[@granulesackes4354]

we play pat ball

[@robertlonergan49]

£20m investment is, in the context of UK govt spending on sports and culture, peanuts

[@timcomley3241]

Have you seen how much we spent on COVID can’t have everything

[@melgrant7404]

Being poor without rich parents

[@grantmalone]

Being poor WITH rich parents is even worse :P

[@ds8680]

Proud of this chinese girl!

[@spanishpeaches2930]

She's half Chinese.

[@trex1448]

Biggest barrier to global growth of tennis and the discovery development of new, youth talent are old, rich, white people.

[@hamsatd]

I think basketball is underfunded too.

[@mango4ttwo635]

Gen Zed

[@tocrob]

the Williams were "supported" by a billionaire.

[@bushwhacked7112]

“Youths” need more ping pong tables, you could fit at least 20 ping pong tables on a tennis court.

[@b.h.7423]

In China high chance

[@pauloconnor5101]

Lol effort being interested and a small amount of money for a tennis racket and ball. There are plenty of tennis courts free to play.

[@okrisjubaidi926]

Seen, everyone smiles when talking to her (: spreading like virus (:

[@karenn2969]

Here we go again ,money comes in ,then mental health issues will be arising ,ask osaka,we don't have real sports lover anymore

[@acloudworld7625]

Money

[@robinhazell6019]

Ever since she won the US Open, she has been at best medocre, at worst almost bad. I see a pattern begining to emerge that she is in fact a BAD LOSER. If she feels that she is about to lose a match, she retires with a supposed injury. Just seems strange to say the least. She could well be another Maria Sharapova, who won her only Gand Slam at Wimbledon aged 17, but she has made more money than the Williams sisters because of her sponsorships and endorsements. Emma Rdacanu is also already on that path.

[@jacobs8102]

15-20mil investment? only, I guess the top players could pay half of it easily between themselves, It would be good if they give back to society.

[@IambiguousSegment]

Being the daughter of two bankers helps you win tennis competitions.

[@ShahidKhan-ke8fe]

Up to a point. When you look at the background of most other British tennis players (male or female), they're not exactly working class are they? If having rich parents was the key, we should have far more top tennis stars. How rich are the parents of players from much poorer countries in Eastern Europe, I bet not as rich as those from Surrey, Cambridge, etc.

[@ghsense2626]

Can you donate to my future scion who I'm positive will be grand slam champions. Need the funds to bank a bimbo as initial payment. Ty

[@FYCH45]

They work in finance, but to call them "bankers" is a bit misleading. Otherwise all bank employees should be called "bankers". Note that Emma Raducanu has been educated at state schools, and her home is pretty ordinary for that part of London.

[@IambiguousSegment]

@@FYCH45 "wankers"

[@T.Durden666]

@@IambiguousSegment dimwit

[@Greenpoloboy3]

It's too dangerous. The players need helmets and shin guards etc to protect themselves. Also it is too rude. Their skirts are too short

[@mercury6765]

Dangerous? You’re kidding right?

[@gallowglass2630]

@@mercury6765 your sarcasm radar isn't working

[@Greenpoloboy3]

@@gallowglass2630 lol

[@belkentens]

Mawkish drivel

[@andrewstevens6259]

she is not a true brit. canadian like Rusedski

[@morganross6399]

In that case, John McEnroe is a German.

[@andrewstevens6259]

@@morganross6399 hesa septic

[@russcoleman2338]

@@zedeighty Churchill was American too

[@JulieDorsetBelle]

Muppet lol!! She joins: Mo Farrah, Ben Stokes, John Barnes, Justin Rose, Bradley Wiggins...who LOVE being ENGLISH 😁

[@silveriver9]

So interesting how the UK is quick to celebrate her success when the government and its supporters continually bash immigrants. Nice to see she holds her heritage, culture and language close to her heart. Her Mandarin is excellent. Nationalities can change but her blood won't ever. You can see how she wears a mix of China and Romania's flag colours on her uniform.

[@philmarino9386]

Yep!😉...ANOTHER trans tennis star....transinvestigation coming soooooooooon

[@timcomley3241]

🙄

[@Hajinrei]

wtf 😒

[@Mrc172]

🤪

[@stevencornfield6631]

Yes, trans...ferring 2.5 million US dollars into her UK bank account, helping the british economy! Well done, Emma..