Murray’s steel and smile of an angel

I REMEMBER meeting Emma Raducanu at Bromley Tennis Centre when she was 12 years old. There was a wonderful joy about her. That huge grin, the love she had for tennis. It was impossible not to feel the warmth of her enthusiasm.

What is great is you still sense that joy now when she is in the heat of battle on Centre Court at Wimbledon or at the US Open.

She belongs on the big stage. Even if she is not playing her best, or she loses a point, she will turn to her coach with a smile on her face.

She has a genuine love for tennis. And she loves competing. That is important because life on the WTA Tour can sometimes beat you up a bit. You can’t win every single match. It’s tough. But that brightness and balanced attitude will help her achieve her potential.

And that potential is limitless. We see a lot of talent break through but I think Emma has got something very special. It’s not just about the talent. It’s the hard work and desire. It’s the attitude.

She has all the right ingredients to be a future champion and a big star on tour. Emma’s the most exciting British prospect since Andy Murray. She reminds me of him, not in her style of play, but in that competitive nature and mental toughness on the court.

When you watch her play, there is a security about what she is doing. Whether she wins or loses, you don’t feel like you have to hide behind a pillow. She is already a complete player. Technically, she is very sound with no real weaknesses.

We have heard her after matches say that she’s having to sustain a really high level of performance to compete but, to watch her, it looks as though she is still playing very much within herself. Emma definitely has more gears to find.

The US Open is available to watch live l exclusively on Amazon Prime Video through to Sunday September 12.