British tennis star Emma Raducanu couldn`t help but laugh as she recounted her amusing challenges with tournament access at the Italian Open.
Raducanu revealed she has been repeatedly banned from entering the grounds after losing her accreditation passes, an issue that was even highlighted by officials.
Having successfully advanced to the third round in Rome with wins over Maya Joint and Jil Teichmann, Raducanu shared the humorous anecdote during her post-match interview with Sky Sports. Her forgetfulness regarding her essential access passes became public knowledge, prompting her to giggle.
Security protocols at tennis tournaments require players, staff, and media to display their accreditation at all times. However, it appears that while Raducanu is finding her form on the court, keeping track of her passes off court has been a different story.
Interviewer Karthi Gnanasegaram playfully questioned Raducanu, asking if she was at the top of the list for players losing their passes. Raducanu responded with laughter, quipping, “Yeah, well, I`ve won something this week already.”
She elaborated on her predicament: “So I was the first person to lose my accreditation. And then I lost the second accreditation. And then I got exposed on the board at the entrance. It`s not ideal but to be honest it pretty much sums me up.”
This isn`t the first time Raducanu has openly discussed personal habits; last year, her best friend revealed she checks the `Find My Friends` app first thing in the morning, and earlier this year, Raducanu mentioned being a night owl who enjoys late-night walks, questioning if it was a “smart” habit.
Despite her comical accreditation issues, Raducanu is focused on her performance and hopes her time in Rome yields more significant “trophies.”
The world No. 49 is set to compete against Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday, vying for a place in the last 16.
