Teen star breaks silence on shock Wimbledon exit

Wimbledon sensation Emma Raducanu says that medical experts advised her to retire from her fourth-round match against Aussie Alja Tomljanovic.

Raducanu broke her silence after exiting the match while down 6-4 3-0. She cited breathing difficulties and then skipped her post-match interview.

The 18-year-old British wildcard, who was playing just her second WTA Tour event and was ranked No.338, then released a statement and did an in-house interview at Wimbledon.

"The atmosphere on Court One was just once again incredible to play in front of, I'm obviously very disappointed that I couldn't finish the match," Raducanu said.

"I really, really wanted to be able to compete and try my best but the medical advice was to pull out and I followed it, because I think that their advice was the best in the end."

Former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe sparked controversy when he claimed that Raducanu had simply been overwhelmed by the occasion. The young star described how she was feeling, citing both the physical exertion in the match and the mental impact of her stunning rise at the tournament as potential causes of her condition.

"I found it very difficult to regulate my breathing," she said.

"I think that it was emphasised by some very long rallies that we has towards the end of the first set, which made it tough for me to keep my composure and the breathing in check.

"Then, at the beginning of the second set was when I struggled with it the most. I called the trainer on and made the decision [to retire] at the end of changeover.

"I don't know what caused it. I think that it was a combination of everything that has gone on behind the scenes in the last week, accumulation of the excitement, the buzz.

"I think it's a great learning experience for me going forwards. It's a great step forward and now next time hopefully I'll be better prepared."

Raducanu said that prior to reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon, she'd never played in front of a big crowd.

"I'm not sure, maybe 100 people or something," she said.

"So to play on Court One in front of that many fans, I'm so grateful for the opportunity.

"It's been the best week of my life, honestly."

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