You may not have known her name just a few months ago, but at just 18 years old, Emma Raducanu has made history by being the first Briton to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Raducanu was born in Toronto and brought up in London. She made her WTA debut in June 2021. It was only two months later when she became the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam singles title, beating Leyla Fernandez in the final. 

She claimed a £1.8 million cheque after her big win, and also boosted up her ranking from 150 to 22. “I’m still just so shocked, still in the moment,’ says Raducanu. “I can’t believe I came through the last service game. It honestly means absolutely everything to hold this trophy. I just don’t want to let go.”

Raducanu was met with praise from many famous British figures, including the Queen, who sent her a letter from Balmoral, writing: “It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age, and is a testament to your hard work and dedication.” She also received messages from Boris Johnson and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 

In a more recent event commemorating Raducanu and other British champions, she took the court with the Duchess of Cambridge herself. The Duchess is a patron of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), and Raducanu called it a “perfect day for some tennis.”

During the event, Emma also announced that she has parted ways with coach Andrew Richardson. Richardson accompanied Emma at the US Open and helped coach her through her journey to the Grand Slam title. However, she says she is now looking for a more experienced coach. 

“Where I was at after Wimbledon, I was ranked around 200 in the world, and at the time, I thought Andrew would be a great coach to trial so we went to the States but never did I even dream of winning the US Open and having the run I did and now I’m ranked 22 in the world, which is pretty crazy to me,” she said.

“I feel like at this stage in my career, and playing the top players in the world, I realized I really need someone right now that has had that WTA Tour experience at the high levels, which means that I’m looking for someone who has been at that level and knows what it takes. And especially right now because I’m so new to it, I really need someone to guide me who’s already been through that.” says Emma.

We know Emma Raducanu has a lot more to give on the courts, and we can’t wait to see her compete in future tournaments.

For more articles on sports, coaching and more, visit the Sprongo blog.