Emma Raducanu, the British tennis sensation, has found herself at the center of a controversy off the court during the Wimbledon Championships. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg publicly criticized Raducanu for choosing to sleep in rather than vote in the 2024 UK general election, reigniting discussions about athletes’ civic responsibilities.
Raducanu, currently ranked 135th in the world, has been performing impressively at Wimbledon. She won two consecutive matches without dropping a set, defeating Mexican qualifier Renata Zarazua 7-6(0), 6-3 in the first round and World No. 33 Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 in the second round. However, her off-court decision to skip voting has taken center stage.
In a post-match press conference after her second-round victory, Raducanu was asked about her plans to vote in the election scheduled for Thursday, July 4. She responded, “No. I think I’ll have a lie-in, then I’ll come to practice. I didn’t even know it was tomorrow, to be honest. Thanks for letting me know.”
Rothenberg, known for his candid opinions, criticized Raducanu’s response, suggesting it wouldn’t be tolerated in the United States. He acknowledged his lack of knowledge about UK media culture but argued that an American star athlete would face harsh criticism for a similar answer. “I don’t know the voting culture in the UK quite as well, but I do know that any American superstar athlete would get utterly dragggggged for an answer like this,” he wrote on X.
I don’t know the voting culture in the UK quite as well, but I do know that any American superstar athlete would get utterly dragggggged for an answer like this. https://t.co/FT62PJ9VCb
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 3, 2024
This incident has sparked a broader debate on whether athletes should prioritize civic duties like voting, especially during major competitions. While Raducanu’s focus remains on her Wimbledon campaign, her off-court decisions have prompted a conversation about the balance between professional responsibilities and civic engagement.
Raducanu in Wimbledon, ranking, and results in 2024
WWWLWWLWWL Currently the world no.135, Raducanu achieved an overall 15-9 match record in 2024. Raducanu is participating in Wimbledon where she managed to beat the world no.98 Renata Zarazua 7-6(0) 6-3, the world no.33 Elise Mertens 6-1 6-2 and the world no.9 Maria Sakkari .
Emma Raducanu will square off with the world no.48 Viktoriya Tomova in the final. Their current head to head is 1-0 for Tomova.
Emma Raducanu |
| Embed from Getty Images |
