Some tennis fans are up in arms after it was announced that Emma Raducanu was awarded an ESPY following her incredible breakthrough year.
At the end of 2021, Raducanu shocked the world by becoming the first player in history to win the US Open as a qualifier.
The victory subsequently catapulted the 19-year-old into superstardom and saw her become a household name across the globe.
But ever since that famous run at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu has struggled to find form and has been openly criticised by some of the biggest figures in the sport – namely John McEnroe.
But despite her recent slump in 2022, the Brit's US Open heroics meant she was crowned the best women's tennis player of the year, seeing off recently-retired former world No.1 Ash Barty and current world No.1 Iga Swiatek.
Taking home more hardware 🏆
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) July 21, 2022
Emma Raducanu was awarded an ESPY after her remarkable breakthrough over the last year. pic.twitter.com/V3ExPTBgJj
The ESPY award for tennis player of the year is a fan vote, but that doesn't necessarily mean every 'fan' was in favour of Raducanu.
When news broke of Raducanu winning the accolade, fans took to social media to vent.
In response to the US Open's tweet, one person said: "It's hard not to laugh... but ok."
While another added: "She is overestimated! So many other women athletes deserve it more than Emma."
As a third commented: "It’s becoming ridiculous at this point."
And one woman concluded: "42% win rate, 0 top 40 wins in her career, no more than 2 matches won in a row since [the] US Open. Sure, makes sense when you have Iga [Swiatek] with a 92% win rate, 6 titles, 37 match win streak just in 2022 also nominated."
Emma Raducanu has won the 2022 ESPY award for Best Athlete Women's Tennis 👏
— Sofi.Naj (@SofiaAbidel) July 21, 2022
World No.1 Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty were nominated!! What a shame ! We know very well how it works ! It's not about tennis or sport ! It's totaly about something else ! https://t.co/ra88fNPbC7
So Iga Swiatek becomes world #1 winning like six consecutive tournaments, sets a record breaking unbeaten streak, wins another grand slam and they give the ESPY POTY to Emma Raducanu who has literally done fuckall all year, might even have more withdrawals than wins but okay? 😭 https://t.co/zHjoSuUoUz
— Tanmay (@franchiseford) July 21, 2022
Genuine question @espn: what was the rationale behind nominating Raducanu for the ESPY best athlete in WTA award, and what was the rationale behind the decision to make her a winner? No disrespect to Raducanu at all, I just can't figure out what the criteria could have been
— Jo King 🎾❤🐺 (@FreeWorldPe0ple) July 21, 2022
Just woke up to the news that EMMA RADUCANU, who in the last 12 months has won 2 matches in a row about twice, got the espy for best womens tennis player?!?!?! Not Iga Swiatek, who at one point won 37 matches in a row??
— Thomas Tyson (@ThomasWTyson01) July 21, 2022
There's no way Emma Raducanu won the best women's tennis player ESPY.
— Potiphar (@EuroBigMacs) July 21, 2022
She has more sub-100 losses in the last calendar year than she has top-40 wins IN HER CAREER
Raducanu won tennis player of the year over Ashleigh Constance Barty
— The Gambling Tailor (@TailorGang4Ever) July 21, 2022
ESPY's are clownish awards
Raducanu's emphatic US Open win will go down in tennis folklore, but fans were confused as to why she pipped the likes of Swiatek and Barty to the post.
Not only has Swiatek become world No.1 with a win at Roland Garros, but she recently surpassed Venus and Serena Williams' undefeated runs record with a new 37-match winning streak.
As for Barty, she's widely regarded as one of the best female tennis players of all-time, most recently winning both Wimbledon and the Australian Open last year before announcing her retirement from the sport.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Australia, Emma Raducanu, Tennis, US Open
