EMMA’S YEAR... FROM A-LEVELS TO SPOTYLIGHT
I’ve learned – to be a bit EMMA RADUCANU has nicer.” revealed she is still Her high-octane learning to be nicer to journey is likely to have herself – at the end of a more turbulence next remarkable year where season as she adapts to she went from A-level her new status, after student to US Open skipping so many champion. development stages.
The British No.1 is the Raducanu also has to red-hot favourite to be learn to balance being a voted the BBC Sports role model and sponsor’s Personality of the Year dream while adding to tonight. The 19-year-old her on-court experience. shocked the sporting “I’m still the same world by becoming the person,” she said. “I’ve first qualifier to win a come a long way in terms Grand Slam singles title. of developing my game
But the word No.19 has but there are a lot of since won only two places it can improve. matches in three WTA “I’ve got good people events. around me and I’m just
Raducanu said: “This really excited.” year has been a journey – This improvement will that’s the I’ve learned a lot be overseen biggest and the biggest by her word. thing is to be latest coach
“If you kind to myself – German were to Torben draw the journey, Beltz. “Torben is a superpositive basically it would just not guy and he make sense, the whole always has a lot of trajectory and where it energy,” she said. went. “I feel like that’s really
“I’m so grateful and cool to have in my team.” actually proud of myself. Raducanu became the
“That is why taking a youngest Grand Slam holiday in the Caribbean champion since last month was so good 17-year-old Maria for me because I could Sharapova at Wimbledon take a step back and in 2004. really appreciate how far “It is sinking in a little I have come. bit more but it is still
“I feel like I’ve learned such a whirlwind of an quite a lot of things and experience,” she added. the biggest thing is just “When I am watching patience with myself, and that match, it almost being kind to myself – feels like it is not me because sometimes you playing and pulling off can get so caught up in some of those shots.” the result or what just happened and you forget how far you have come.
“Because you’re just so focused on what’s going on.
“So I took a step back. I look at where I started in January, February or March and then where I finished the year.
“Under every circumstance I would have taken that at the beginning.
“So I’m proud of myself, for sure. And that’s the biggest lesson