Jack Draper has defended Emma Raducanu after she was singled out for criticism by Martina Navratilova.

The tennis icon questioned Raducanu’s work ethic following her first-round exit in New York last week.

Navratilova said: “She needs more matchplay. I still don’t think she is as fit as she should be.”

In response, Draper argued that Raducanu has been the subject of unfair expectation since winning the US Open three years ago.

“I think it’s important that people give her time to be on her journey and to improve physically and to put years of working to get back to that point,” he said.

“There’s no doubt it was extremely difficult for Emma, because she’d done her A Levels and she’d just come out of school.

“All of a sudden she came here and she had a dream run and won. I think the expectation on her after that was huge.”