By Sophie Jonsson
With the return of fans to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, this year’s US Open was sure to be a lively one. And while America’s Grand Slam tournament saw major upsets and surprises across the board, perhaps the largest one came from 18-year-old British player (and now US Open champion) Emma Raducanu.
While she has been a rising star on the tennis tour for some time, Raducanu was put on the world stage earlier this month after beating fellow-teen Leylah Annie Fernandez in straight sets to become the US Open Women’s Champion. After having to qualify for the main draw, Raducanu managed to defeat competitors ranked hundreds of spots higher than her prior to her win, making her the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam title. Prior to the US Open, she was ranked 150th in the world. She is now ranked 23rd. She is also the youngest player to reach the US Open final since Maria Sharapova in 2005.
After her Grand Slam win, Raducanu has been dubbed the new star of tennis, and while some may see her as an overnight sensation, Raducanu’s journey to the title has been anything but.
Raducanu began playing tennis at the age of five, going on to play in and win junior tournaments until turning pro in 2018. Since then, she’s played in various tournaments including the 2021 Wimbledon Championships where she made her Grand Slam debut on a wildcard. Raducanu’s first Grand Slam appearance was also where she joined the young generation of prominent athletes starting conversations about mental health and the pressures put on elite athletes. During the tournament, Raducanu withdrew from her fourth-round match due to breathing difficulties saying later that the intense experience was catching up with her.
While stress and pressure are bound to affect any athlete in some capacity, Raducanu was able to come back strong in New York. And with such a performance, Emma Raducanu has surely proven her personal strength and solidified her place in the tennis world for years to come.