Emma Raducanu created history for Britain when she became the first woman to win a grand slam title since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Everything you need to know about Emma Raducanu

Early Years

Emma Raducanu was born in on November 13, 2022, in Toronto, Canada. She moved to England when she was two years old. She was raised in Bromley, England. She holds both British and Canadian citizenship.

Her dad Ion Raducan is from Romania and her mom Renee Zhai is from Shenyang, China. Her parents worked in the finance domain. Raducanu’s parents’ lives were shaped by the communist countries they grew up in, which emphasized hard work and discipline.

Raducanu speaks Mandarin, Romanian, and English.

Idols

Given her Romanian and Chinese heritage, it’s no surprise that her idols are Simona Halep (from Romania) and Li Na (from China). She admires the athleticism of Halep and the mentality of Li Na.

Junior Years

• At 13 years, she won an ITF under-18 tournament becoming the youngest-ever winner of an ITF under-18 tournament
• She won seven titles in her junior career
• Her best junior grand slam result was reaching the singles quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Accomplishments

• At the 2021 US Open, she entered the draw as a qualifier ranked 150 in the world. She won three matches to play in the main draw. She won the US Open title without losing a set. With her first grand slam win, she rose to world number 23 in the rankings.

Playing style

Emma Raudcanu plays an aggressive baseline game. Her money shot is the double-handed backhand which she uses effectively against opponents. She moves well on the court and has good anticipation which allows her to defend well from the baseline. She prefers the hard courts where her best results have come on.

Awards

• In 2021, she was named the Sportswoman of the Year by Sunday Times
• In 2021, she was voted the WTA Newcomer of the Year by the WTA
• In 2022, she was appointed the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contribution to tennis