British teenager Emma Raducanu’s surprises everyone, including herself, by reaching the tennis US Open semi-finals.
The world number 150 ranked tennis star already booked her flights home to the UK a fortnight ago. She really wasn’t expecting to get this far in the tournament, but says “it’s a nice problem to have”.
Raducanu reached the semi-finals following a straight set win over Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic on Wednesday at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 18 year old Brit, who passed her A Levels this summer, is the first player to qualify into the last four at the Grand Slam in New York.
After her success and rapid rise, Raducanu is on target to rank in the world’s top 50 and will become the British women’s number one.
Speaking of her achievement, she says: “It definitely means a lot to be in the semi-finals”. She is just enjoying herself and the experience. While out on the court, she says to herself, “this could be the last time you play on Ashe, so might as well just go for it and enjoy everything”.
Unfortunately for Raducanu, her parents are unable to attend any of their daughter’s matches to watch live in person. They also won’t be there at Thursday’s semi-final to see her take on Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari. The strict travel restrictions to the United States means it will take too long for them to gain approval. By the time their waiver comes through to allow them entry to the country, it will be too late.
Raducanu’s match is the second of the women’s singles semi-finals, due to play at 21:00 local time (02:00 BST Friday).
Insprational ‘British legends’
Raducanu is the first British woman to make it to a US Open semi-final since Jo Durie in 1983, while the last to win the title is Virginia Wade in 1968. The teen describes 76 year old Wade, who watched Raducanu’s match against Shelby Rogers on Monday, as an “absolute legend”.
On his way to becoming a British legend, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray won the men’s tournament in 2012. The former world number one recently practised with Raducanu, as well as play against her last year in a mixed doubles event at the Battle of Brits.
Another notable former British tennis player, Tim Henman, is also watching Raducanu’s performance from courtside. He reached the US Open semi-finals in 2004, but now has a role as a television analyst.
Raducanu says there are “some great role models to look up to” and figures “to follow”. “I think that their presence and everything that they have achieved is inspiration in itself for me,” she adds.
A young generation of star players
Raducanu’s success comes as many young stars perform superbly to fill the absence of several big name players. Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are all absent from this year’s competition. A raft of young players doing so well shows “how strong the next generation is”.
Most notable is Canada’s 19 year old Leylah Fernandez, who beat Japan’s defending champion Naomi Osaka. she also claimed victory over Germany’s three time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber and Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina in her other matches.
With both Fernandez and Raducanu progressing to the last four, it is the first time since 2009 that two teenagers are in the US Open women’s singles semi-finals.
Raducanu has praise and admiration for her colleagues, but says that “everyone is on their own trajectory”. She is taking control of what she can, as it is her own journey. The teen does not want to compare herself or results to anybody else as she sees it as “like the thief of happiness”.
The coronavirus pandemic meant an 18 month break from competing. But Raducanu says: “Here I am, and it just shows that if you believe in yourself, then anything is possible”.
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