Emma is a role model for many young people

Emma Raducanu’s subliminal victory in the U.S Open in New York has to be viewed as one of the great sporting achievements.

I watched the whole match from the comfort of my armchair and was intoxicated by the sheer majesty of the occasion.

Emma is amazing; she is a compelling figure, young, beautiful, and loaded with talent. At the tender age of 18 the world is her oyster. She is a shining beacon of light, the brightest star in the universe.

With the match being played on a Saturday night I was very mindful of the fact I had to go to work early on Sunday morning. There was no way I was going to miss out on this contest though. Raducanu’s opponent, her fellow teenager, the Canadian Leylah Fernandez, played her part in an epic encounter.

The grit, guile, and sheer determination of both ladies’ was a joy to behold.

When Emma sealed victory with an ace I shed a few tears. Seeing her lift up the U.S Open trophy with her delightful smile was a momentous moment in time. To win 10 matches in a row without dropping a set, how good is that? Her victory in the ‘Big Apple’ is comparable with the great golfer, Jack Nicklaus, winning the Masters at Augusta in 1986 at the age of 46.

The way Emma conducts herself on the court is a major positive. There are no tantrums or questioning line calls, she just gets on with it. She is a tremendous role model for youngsters. Her stunning victory will be a catalyst for loads of young people to emulate. Tennis clubs up and down the land will be flooded with kids yearning to be the next superstar of their chosen sport.

I can honestly say I have never been so enthralled by a sporting event. With the match being played exactly 20 years’ after 9/11 good very definitely triumphed over evil.

Emma, you lifted the spirits of millions, you are the queen of New York.

Richard Carl Nielsen