Sweet bread and cherry liqueur at Raducanu’s homecoming party
Open champion takes on old friend Ruse in first chance to celebrate victory in front of own fans at sold-out Royal Albert Hall
The Emma Raducanu bandwagon rolls back into Britain this weekend with tennis’s newest global sensation headlining the Champions of Tennis tournament at the Royal Albert Hall tomorrow.
In her first match in the UK since her US Open triumph, Raducanu will face Romania’s Elena-gabriela Ruse on the theatre’s acrylic court, which has been assembled for one final time before the event relocates to a new venue next year.
Organisers had not planned to broadcast the match, but with the level of public excitement growing for Raducanu’s homecoming, the BBC confirmed yesterday afternoon that it would show the event live on the red button.
Raducanu and Ruse are close friends on the tour, having recently shared several practice sessions at the Transylvanian Open. In keeping with the celebratory theme of this semi-competitive event, world No83 Ruse has packed more than just her racket for the occasion.
“I asked Emma, ‘What would you like me to bring to London?’ She was like, ‘I want some cozonac – it’s a sweet bread we eat in Romania around Christmas – and visinata,” Ruse said. The latter is an alcoholic drink made from sour cherries. “It’s very light and very sweet, we’ll drink some after the match for sure.”
The context of Raducanu’s return to Britain is significant. Her last appearance on home soil was overshadowed by breathing difficulties during her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, although that was reduced to a mere hiccup following her Flushing Meadows triumph. Since then, the 19-year-old lost early at Indian Wells and went out in the quarter-finals in Romania before her first-round exit in Linz as she continues to adapt to life following her meteoric success. “I talked to her after Linz and the other matches she lost, and I told her, ‘Come on girl, it’s just a match, you’re playing really well. You’re tired mentally, physically, because you’ve played a lot this year.’ Winning a grand slam is a really big deal,”
Ruse said.
Having climbed 324 places in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings to break into the world’s top 20 this year, Raducanu’s homecoming – tickets for which sold out within a week – will provide a flavour of the hype and attention the player will receive during her first full season on tour next year.
“We signed Emma to play before the US Open – the fact she went on to win it was a huge shot in the arm for us,” said Paul Mccann, the vicepresident of tennis events at IMG, the agency that also manages Raducanu. “To have the US Open champion and hottest property in women’s tennis come and play at our event is huge. We’re all incredibly excited about it.” Crowds at the Champions of Tennis event have typically been of an older demographic in the past, although Mccann has high hopes Raducanu’s feted appearance – for which she will receive a “modest” fee – will attract a younger audience who “aren’t necessarily hard-core tennis lovers”. But those attending who are hoping to get their hands on Raducanu merchandise – a Wimbledonesque towel or something of the sort – will be disappointed. Torben Beltz, Raducanu’s new coach, is not expected to be at the event. The players’ competitive edge, however, will be. “We are really happy to play against each other,” Ruse said. “It’s funny, because Emma has told me, ‘Gabby, take it easy on me – it’s just an exhibition match’.” Twenty-four years since John Mcenroe and Bjorn Borg renewed their famous rivalry at London’s treasured concert hall, it is fitting that the sport’s latest superstar will bring the curtain down on the longrunning event.