Raducanu says it is tough to be expected to play her best on Court Philippe-Chatrier when she hasn’t been given the opportunity to practice on the tournament’s fabled showcourt.
“I honestly think it’s really difficult, because the tournament don’t really help in terms of getting you court time on the bigger courts or on like the match courts, really,” she said on Monday on Court No.8.
Court No.8 has a capacity of 350 people, while the capacious Chatrier holds 15,000.
Raducanu says she feels certain players get more chances to practice on the court, while others get nothing.
“I feel like, I don’t know, certain players get preferred treatment,” she said. “It’s very different from at the annex [the cluster of practice courts across the street from the site], for example, across the road or other courts to then kind of jump onto Chatrier or jump onto a stadium. It isn’t easy. I wish they would give us more opportunities on [Chatrier] or bigger courts, especially if we’re going to play on them.”
Raducanu, who is 0-4 lifetime against Swiatek, has never taken a set against the four-time Roland-Garros champion.
She’s looking forward to seeing how she matches up against one of the toughest challenges in women’s tennis.
“I think it’s a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself,” she said as she looking ahead to facing the reigning queen of clay. “I think exposure to the top players is great for where I’m at for my development. “I think especially on clay, it’s her preferred tournament [and] surface. She’s won it four times. It’s a match where I can go out and test really just myself and go for my shots, because I know if I just push the ball, I’m probably going to get eaten. I need to, like, hit the ball.
“I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
