AND ALL THAT JAZZ
Emma’s switching off to sound of sax after taking in Chicago but she’s tuned in for toughest NY test
EMMA RADUCANU was No.338 in the world when she was given a wildcard to Wimbledon.
Today, less than two months later, a win over Belinda Bencic will propel her into the top 75, overtaking Jo Konta as British No.1, and earn her $675,000.
Not bad for an 18-year-old playing in only her second Grand Slam event and who had to come through three rounds of qualifying just to make the main draw at the US Open.
Raducanu did that without dropping a set and she still hasn’t. In fact, she has lost only 15 games in the four rounds that rocketed her to today’s quarter-final showdown with Switzerland’s Olympic gold medallist.
Bencic, eight years her senior, is ranked 12th in the world and seeded 11th at the US Open.
She will represent the toughest challenge of Raducanu’s career to date but the young Brit is facing it head on and with the smile that’s captivated the New York crowds.
The teenager insists she’s still taking in her new-found fame and the respect she has won during her astronomical rise.
But she doesn’t play like a wide-eyed kid. Raducanu knows she belongs in this company and will go into today’s match believing she can come out the other end as a semi-finalist.
She said: “Belinda has a lot of experience on the tour. She’s in great form, having won Olympic gold. But I’m also feeling good, also confident with the amount of matches I’ve played. I feel like I’m building with each one.
“It will be an extremely difficult match. I know if I’m going to have a chance, I’m going to have to play some really good tennis.”
That hasn’t been a problem so far in the six weeks she has spent Stateside since storming to round four at Wimbledon.
And Raducanu believes that striking a balance between work and play has been key to her success. She added: “My time has gone so quickly here.
“It’s by far the longest trip I’ve ever done.
“I’ve been to some really cool places – San Francisco, Chicago, New York. In New York I honestly haven’t been able to go out and see that much. I’m planning that all for the end where I’m just going to tee off on absolutely everything from food to sights, all of it.”
She has already proved she’s no ordinary teenager. Let’s face it, how many 18-year-old girls are into jazz? Raducanu is but she did admit to being a One Direction fan a few years ago. “When I was younger, for sure,” she said.
“We would do, they were called Video Stars back in the day on our trips away, on our tennis Europe trips. Not so much in recent years.
“I have different genres for all the different situations. I do like a little bit of rap but sometimes it makes me sleepy so I won’t listen to it pre-match.
“I quite enjoy something with a beat but I also love jazz. It’s a really cool vibe, I love to switch off to some jazz.”
It’s the razzmatazz rather than jazz she’ll bring to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre today.
“I’m surprised that I’m here,” Raducanu added. “I’m super appreciative of the moment.
“Yeah, having to be here in the US Open, quarterfinals, is just absolutely incredible.”