Emma Raducanu and her French Open opponent Iga Swiatek shared a notably “dismissive” interaction marked by a “cold handshake” following their match.
The 22-year-old Raducanu was decisively defeated by the 23-year-old Swiatek, losing 6-1, 6-2, in their second-round match on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
An uncomfortable moment between the two players occurred after the match.
Former British number one, Annabel Croft, commented on the lack of warmth between the British and Polish players during the customary post-match handshake.
Croft described the handshake to the BBC as “quite cold”.
“There was no warmth there between the two players. It was quite dismissive, almost just a handshake and then a walk off.”
According to Croft, once Swiatek gained momentum, she asserted her dominance over the match.
The comprehensive loss to Swiatek left Raducanu feeling disheartened, leading the player from Bromley to make a frank admission.
The 2021 US Open champion admitted she felt “exposed” and acknowledged she has significant room for improvement.
Raducanu stated: “It was a very difficult match. Iga played exceptionally well. It was tough.
“I believe the match was quite competitive initially. As it progressed, she seemed to gain confidence, and I simply felt somewhat exposed.
“It was the first time playing a match on that particular court, finding it different and new for me.
“She was clearly comfortable in those surroundings, having played there many times.
“I did mention beforehand that I felt a bit uncomfortable. But it’s a good experience if I ever play on that court again.
“You just don’t really feel like there is that much space on the court and in certain moments, you overhit, you just feel constant pressure.
“I definitely think I can improve certain areas of my game to maybe make me feel like I have fewer weaknesses.
“I am simply going to dedicate myself to working on that. It merely highlights, I suppose, the extent to which I need to improve.”
