MARCUS RASHFORD has thrown his support behind Emma Raducanu after admitting he suffered the SAME issue as her while playing for England's Under-16s.
British tennis' newest star Raducanu, 18, was unable to continue her Wimbledon fourth-round clash against Australian Alja Tomljanovic at 6-4 3-0 down after falling ill on Monday night.
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On Tuesday, Raducanu released an emotional statement citing breathing difficulties during her huge match on No1 Court.
And now Manchester United and England star Rashford, 23, has revealed he suffered a similar problem during an Under-16s game against Wales seven years ago.
Rashford tweeted: "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 your feeling better. Onwards and upwards."
Andy Murray and Gary Lineker also leapt to Raducanu's defence following fierce criticism from John McEnroe, Kevin Pietersen and Piers Morgan over her 'mental toughness'.
Raducanu sought medical treatment inside the bowels of No1 Court but decided it was best to withdraw without completing the rest of the match on Monday evening.
The Bromley A-Level student banked £181,000 in prize money for reaching the third round on her debut and has won millions of new fans across the country.
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Less than a day after her shock withdrawal, the Kent wildcard decided to break her silence on social media and said thank you to all those who had supported her.
Raducanu 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 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.
“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.”
Wearing an England shirt, Raducanu later told the BBC: ‘I’m very disappointed I couldn't finish the match.
"I really wanted to be able to compete and try my best.
“I found it very difficult to regulate my breathing, it was emphasised by some long rallies which made it tough to keep my composure.
"I don’t know what caused it. I think it was a combination of everything that had gone on behind the scenes in the last week and a culmination of the excitement and the buzz.
"It’s a great learning experience for me going forwards, a great step forward, and now next time hopefully I will be better prepared.”
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