What other messages are coming across in the advert?
For all the contrasting words in the background, the advert still emphasises the power, grace, timing and athleticism of Raducanu’s tennis. She is receiving serve and, with the word ‘Perfect’ flashing up in the background, immediately rips a crushing forehand topspin across the net. She then surges forward for a sliding backhand volley, followed by an overhead smash and then, to the words ‘Flawless’, a rasping double-handed backhand. The noises of four perfectly timed shots are all amplified.
How does it end?
The twist is that, following a series of beautifully executed strokes, Raducanu loses the point after lunging for a meek and mistimed forehand. The advert then switches to the next point and, with Raducanu looking supremely focused as she waits to again receive serve, closes with the words ‘World Off. Game On’.
Her Instagram page also now has a double ‘barrier’ sign emoji. The message again appears clear. She is shutting her ears to the outside noise and switching her sole focus to tennis. The next three weeks should also tell us rather more about which of those words – Distracted. Perfect. Fluke. Flawless. One-hit wonder – best represents her progress since becoming Britain’s first female grand slam champion for 44 years.
When does she play?
The Australian Open starts this coming Monday (January 17), with Raducanu paired in the first round against the unseeded 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. Raducanu, who is 19, is the number 17 seed for the tournament.