London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 09, 2026

Resilient Raducanu basks in New York fame

Resilient Raducanu basks in New York fame

Less than three weeks ago, Emma Raducanu began battling for her place in the US Open main draw.

On Monday, she stumbled across a giant billboard of her face on the streets of New York as she squeezed some sightseeing between appearances on prime-time American breakfast television.

It is this unexpected, unpredictable change in circumstances that has made the 18-year-old's first Grand Slam title front-page news around the world.

Raducanu has not only made British history as the country's first woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in 44 years, but becoming the first qualifier to win a major means she has made tennis history too.

Despite the high stakes, the teenager has sailed through the past few weeks with a look of composed joy on her face and the fallout to the biggest win of her career has been no different.

Raducanu looked as poised as ever when faced with the Good Morning America panel in the show's Times Square studio and there she explained how she reached such levels of resilience so young.

"From a young age I've always been brought up to have mental strength," she said on the ABC show.

"My parents played a huge part in my upbringing. They were pretty tough on me when I was young and it kind of shaped the way.

"I think now it is helping on the biggest stages in the world when you really need it."

Raducanu described her Chinese mother Renee and Romanian father Ian as her "toughest critics" and "very hard to please".

"But I got them with this one," she joked. "They couldn't resist.

"It was really nice to talk to them after I won. They were just so happy and proud of me."

Grounded Raducanu 'trying to enjoy the moment'


As well as her parents, it seems Raducanu's coaching team has had an important role to play in keeping her grounded.

The Canada-born player received a letter from the Queen after beating Leylah Fernandez in the final at Flushing Meadows and David Beckham and Lewis Hamilton were among the British sports stars to comment on her Instagram post with the trophy.

Raducanu says she was "honoured" by the Queen's message and will be framing it and keeping it in her room, but it was only with those closest to her that she wanted to celebrate on the night.

"I haven't even checked my messages yet," she said.

"I've just been trying to enjoy the moment. With my team the night of the final we just had a really nice night reflecting.

"Everything has gone so fast. We were taking care of every single day and before you know it three weeks had gone.

"We just got to reflect and share a few stories and it was a really nice night to have with everyone."


'Wimbledon retirement was physical issue'


As if further proof were needed that Raducanu is not getting ahead of herself, in one post-match interview the first use she could think of for her £1.8m prize money was a pair of headphones to replace some she lost in the changing rooms after her first-round qualifying win.

Now ranked 23rd in the world - having climbed 127 places in two weeks - and the new British number one, Raducanu is eager to keep up the hard work.

She suggested her retirement during a fourth-round match at Wimbledon against Ajla Tomljanovic due to breathing difficulties was a fitness issue, but believes that adversity was an important step in her rise to the top.

"I took away that it was for me more of a physical issue," she said.

"To win a Grand Slam you need a lot of mental strength so I think the resilience part of it sort of speaks for itself.

"I needed to go through all of that to win a Slam. Physically I've still got a lot of work to do because I'm still new to the game and haven't had time to really develop.

"On tour for the last four or five weeks I think naturally with each match and tournament I've played I've just increased my endurance a bit."

Where will Raducanu play next?


Raducanu may yet compete in the Indian Wells tournament which begins in California on 7 October, although she would have to enter the WTA event as a wildcard because the entry list has already been published.

The season-ending WTA Finals take place in Guadalajara, Mexico in November and the year's top-eight players will qualify.

Making the grade for that event is a big ask for Raducanu but, after the past few weeks, if anyone is up to the challenge it is surely the newly crowned US Open champion.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Germany Finalize Kensington Treaty to Strengthen Defense and Technology Cooperation
Britain Maintains Diplomatic Mission in East Jerusalem Despite Israeli Closure Deadline
English Councils Push Government to Rethink Proposed Funding Cuts
Scottish Homebuilding Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Years
BBC Chief Matt Brittin Defends Restructuring as Staff Challenge Job Cuts
UK Finance Warns High Energy Costs and Bond Yields Are Complicating Fiscal Outlook
UK Adopts All 44 Recommendations on Regulating AI in Healthcare
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget as Borrowing Costs Strain Public Finances
UK Investigators See Strong Indications of Iranian Link After RAF Fairford Security Operation
Laura Trott Pledges Tighter Controls on Political Activism in UK Classrooms
Welsh Ministers Launch Long-Term Review of North Wales and Anglesey Crossings
Welsh Government Orders 18-Month Study of Road Solutions Around Newport
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin Faces Scrutiny Over £800,000 Second Home Purchase
British Households Grow More Concerned About Fuel and Energy Prices
NHS Leaders Warn of Rising Winter Pressure on Emergency Departments
Kemi Badenoch Proposes £2.3 Billion Employer National Insurance Cut for Young Workers
Middle East Conflict Could Erase UK Fiscal Headroom, Economists Warn
Manchester City Found Guilty of Multiple Premier League Financial Rule Breaches
UK Security Services Find Strong Indications of Iranian Role in RAF Fairford Incident
Costa Coffee Returns to Operating Profit on Iced Drinks and Menu Changes
Asos Warns Customers After Unauthorized Access to Retail App and Data
Kemi Badenoch Puts Growth and Deregulation at Center of Conservative Conference
Campaigners Warn of Deepening Social Care Crisis for Disabled Adults
Study Finds Rising Early-Onset Cancer Rates Among Adults Under 50 in Britain
UK Coach Operators Warn High Diesel Prices Could Force Route Cuts
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein-Linked Whistleblower Case
Argentina Vows to Block Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Development
UK Chancellor Prepares Fiscal Measures and Welfare Reforms Ahead of Autumn Budget
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Explore Potential Multi-Billion-Pound Merger
UK Weighs Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles to Align With European Union
UK Threatens Diplomatic Expulsions Over Planned Closure of East Jerusalem Consulate
UK Energy Price Cap Hits Three-Year High as Middle East Conflict Raises Costs
Seventh Arrest Made in Suspected Terror Plot at RAF Fairford
Systemic Education Collapse Sparks Mass Student Uprisings in France
Green Party Faces Backlash Over Resolution Equating Zionism With Racism
Conservatives Debate Scrapping Environmental Rules for New Homes
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Approach £2,000 This Winter
UK Coach Operators Warn of Service Cuts as Diesel Prices Exceed £2
Scottish Parliament Approves £68 Billion Budget With New Tax and Property Measures
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein Whistleblower
UK Government Drops Plan to Suspend Jury Trials in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Markets Watch November
Two Iranian Nationals Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester Jewish Community
UK Fiscal Headroom Halves to £11 Billion Ahead of Budget, EY Warns
US Bomber Withdrawal From RAF Fairford Prompts UK Security Review
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
×