'Out of context': Eddie Jones responds after Emma Raducanu 'sexism' storm
England coach Eddie Jones has reached out to tennis superstar Emma Raducanu after he was embroiled in a 'sexism' storm due to his comments on the US Open winner.
Jones caused a stir earlier in the week after he praised playmaker Marcus Smith after his performance following England's emphatic 69-3 demolition of Tonga.
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Jones warned the youngster of the off-field distractions that will come with celebrity status.
And he appeared to miss the mark when he compared Smith's potential rise to that of the 18-year-old British tennis sensation.
“There’s a reason why the young girl who won the US Open hasn’t done so well afterwards,” the Australian said.
“What have you seen her on – the front page of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar or whatever, wearing Christian Dior clothes.”
Raducanu became a household name in the UK after her dream Wimbledon run earlier this year.
The teenager suffered from pressure in her centre court match, in which she lost in the quarter-final.
However, the 18-year-old bounced back and won the US Open, becoming the first qualifier in tennis history to win a major.
Jones' comments sparked outrage with former World No.5 Jo Durie letting rip at the England coach for his 'sexist' remark and said no male athlete is ever criticised for going to a gala or an event, only women.
She also said it was patronising not even calling Raducanu by her name.
Eddie Jones responds to Emma Raducanu criticism
Ahead of England's game against Australia this weekend, Jones said he had reached out to Raducanu.
However, he said his words had been taken out of context.
“I don’t have any misgivings about what I said - I am disappointed it was taken out of context - and I would be disappointed if Emma was upset by it," he said.
“It was deemed as being sexist and that was never the aim. I have sent her a letter just to reinforce that and hopefully we’ll see her at Twickenham shortly.”
Raducanu responded to the media storm at the time and said her off-court commitments hadn't impacted her game at all.
“I made it very, very clear to every single person in my team that I was not going to cancel one training session or practice session for any off-court commitments,” she said before losing to China’s World No.106 Wang Xinyu in her first match in Linz.
with Reuters
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