Marcus Rashford has issued his support to Emma Raducanu after her forced Wimbledon exit insisting he too has endured similar issues.
The teenage tennis sensation had surpassed expectations by reaching the fourth round at SW19.
On Monday night though her fourth round match with Alja Tomljanovic was cut short after Raducanu struggled with her breathing.
She went off court with the medics and was advised to withdraw during the second set.
Rashford, who scored twice on his Manchester United debut back in 2016, is now a seasoned star with both club and country.
However the 23-year-old has opened up on issues he too had with his breathing when playing for England as a teenager.
He said on Twitter : “It happened to me playing for the national team in U16s against Wales. I remember it to this day. No explanation for it and it never happened again.
“You should be very proud of yourself. The country is proud of you. Glad to read you’re feeling better. Onwards and upwards”.
Raducanu penned a lengthy message on social media thanking fans for supporting her during her Wimbeldon journey.
She said: “Hi guys, I wanted to let everyone know that I am feeling much better this morning.
“First up, I want to congratulate Ajla on an incredible performance and I’m sorry our match ended the way it did. I was playing the best tennis of my life in front of an amazing crowd this week and I think the whole experience caught up with me.
“At the end of the first set, after some super intense rallies, I started to breathe heavily and felt dizzy.
“The medical team advised me not to continue and although it felt like the hardest thing in the world not to be able to finish my Wimbledon on the court, I was not well enough to carry on.
“I want to thank the people who have cheered me on every single match, I wanted to win so badly for you! I also want to thank the All England Club, my team, the LTA, my parents and friends.
“Last night will go a long way to helping me learn what it takes to perform at the top.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I will cherish everything we have achieved together this week and come back stronger! Can’t wait to see what’s next on my journey.”
In an interview with Sue Barker Raducanu said she was unaware what caused her breathing problems, but was confident she would be better off for the experience.
She added: “I think that it was a combination of everything that’s gone on behind the scenes over the past week,
“And an accumulation of the excitement, the buzz, and you know, it’s a great learning experience for me going forward.
“Next time, going forward, I’ll be better prepared.”
