The Rise of Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu has been dominating the headlines lately and it is easy to see why.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, it’s impossible not to listen and smile at the story of this outstanding young tennis player. Here we will cover her story, from her early days to the present, including her unbelievable victory in the US.

Raducanu was born on 13 November 2002 in Ontario, Canada to a Romanian father and a Chinese mother. When she was two years old, her family moved to England, where she engaged in many activities, including ballet, horse riding, and skiing. However, it was tennis that caught her attention most, with Raducanu taking it up at the age of five and never looking back.

Raducanu was an excellent student as well, attending the Bromley all-girls grammar school, Newstead Wood School. Excelling in many subjects, the tennis star sat her A-Levels this year, receiving an A* and A in Maths and Economics respectively.

After reaching the quarter-finals of both the Wimbledon and US Open girls’ singles tournaments in 2018, Raducanu turned professional. This allowed her to participate in both the junior and WTA competitions for the big experience.

In December 2019, she won a tournament in India – and $25,000.

In 2021, Raducanu entered the iconic Wimbledon on a wildcard entry. Against all odds, she advanced to the third round of the tournament, becoming the youngest British woman since Elena Baltacha to reach that stage.

Raducanu then progressed further with a captivating victory over Sorana Cirstea and reached the fourth round, where she was really starting to make headlines.

The star showed tremendous maturity for her age, knowing her limits after a breathing difficulty hindered her match against Ajla Tomljanovic. It is unclear whether this was an underlying medical condition, or the pressure getting to the 18-year-old.

Either way, Radunacu was smart in deciding to retire from the match, knowing that her health was more important than anything.

Recommended Reading: Why the Paralympics is so special to watch

Ranked a career-high of No. 150, Raducanu entered the US Open with a new lease of life. What happened in the tournament, though, nobody could have predicted. On her route to the final, the new face of tennis won every single match without dropping a single set.

In doing so, she quickly rose through the rankings and is now British No.1, and within the top 30 in the entire world.

In the US Open final, Raducanu continued her sensational form and didn’t drop a set in her victory against Leylah Fernandez. She became the first British woman in almost fifty years to win a Grand Slam tournament and earned the hearts of not just her nation, but the world.

It’s easy for the British public and media to hype up a sportsperson to such a degree, only to turn on them when the hype they create crashes down upon them. It is important that the same does not happen with Emma Raducanu, as she now has the world at her feet.

Her humble and modest nature really is a breath of fresh air amongst the bravado of young achieving athletes.

However, not only is she a tremendously skilled player but has a temperament and maturity beyond her years, knowing how far she can push herself. She really is a role model now for people both young and old, and it goes without saying that we all back her to become something special.