Emma Raducanu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Emma Raducanu
MBE

Raducanu at the 2025 Australian Open
Country (sports)	Great Britain
Residence	Bromley, London, England
Born	(2002-11-13) 13 November 2002 (age 22) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Turned pro	2018
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$ 4,447,852
Singles
Career record	121–62
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 10 (11 July 2022)
Current ranking	No. 56 (30 December 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2025)
French Open	2R (2022)
Wimbledon	4R (2021, 2024)
US Open	W (2021)
Doubles
Career record	0–1
Team competitions
BJK Cup	SF (2024), record: 6–1
Signature

Emma Raducanu (born 13 November 2002) is a British professional tennis player. She became famous for winning the US Open tennis tournament. This was a huge win because she was the first player ever to win a Grand Slam title after starting as a qualifier.

A qualifier is a player who has to win extra matches just to get into the main tournament. Emma was ranked outside the top 300 when she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2021. Then, at the 2021 US Open, she won the whole thing without losing a single set! This made her the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since 1977. She reached her highest ranking of No. 10 in the world in July 2022.

Emma Raducanu's Early Life and Education

Emma Raducanu was born in Toronto, Canada, on November 13, 2002. She grew up in Bromley, England, after her family moved there when she was two. Her father, Ion Răducanu, is from Romania, and her mother, Renee Zhai, is from China. Both her parents worked in finance.

Emma has both British and Canadian citizenship. She can speak English, Mandarin, and Romanian. She started playing tennis at age five. As a child, she also tried many other sports like basketball, golf, karting, and even motocross.

She went to Bickley Primary School and then Newstead Wood School. This is a special school in Orpington. Emma did very well in her studies, getting top grades in math and economics.

Emma Raducanu's Tennis Career

Junior Tennis Success

Emma Raducanu during qualifiers at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships

Emma started playing in junior tournaments when she was 13. This was the youngest age allowed. She quickly won her first tournament, becoming the youngest player to win an ITF under-18 event.

In 2017, she won two more junior titles. In 2018, she won two tournaments in India. She won four titles in total that year, making it seven junior titles in her career.

Later in 2018, she reached the quarterfinals at both the Wimbledon and US Open junior events. At Wimbledon, she beat Leylah Fernandez. Three years later, she would beat Leylah again in the US Open senior final!

Starting as a Professional Player (2018–2020)

Emma Raducanu during the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in February 2020

Emma became a professional tennis player in 2018. For a couple of years, she played both junior and professional matches. She won her first professional titles in 2018 in Israel and Turkey.

In 2019, she won another professional tournament in India. She also joined the British team for the Fed Cup (now called the Billie Jean King Cup). People said she was "the British player with the most potential of her generation."

In 2020, many tennis events were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emma played in smaller matches in the UK. She also spent time studying for her A-Level exams.

Amazing US Open Win (2021)

Emma started 2021 by playing in her first main WTA Tour event. Then, she got a special entry to the main draw of Wimbledon. She surprised everyone by reaching the fourth round! She was the youngest British woman to do this in a long time. She had to stop her match in the fourth round because she had trouble breathing.

After Wimbledon, Emma changed coaches. She then played in the US Open. She was ranked 150th in the world and had to win three qualifying matches just to get into the main tournament.

What happened next was incredible! Emma won every single match in the main draw without losing a set. She beat top players like Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari. In the final, she played against Leylah Fernandez, who was also a teenager. Emma won the match, becoming the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam title!

After her US Open win, Emma's ranking jumped to No. 23. She received messages from important people like Elizabeth II (the Queen) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Later in 2021, Emma played in other tournaments. She won her first WTA Tour match in Romania. She also hired a new coach, Torben Beltz. She finished the year ranked No. 19 in the world.

Injuries and Challenges (2022)

Emma Raducanu with coach Torben Beltz at the 2022 Miami Open

Emma started 2022 with a new career-high ranking of No. 18. At the Australian Open, she won her first match but lost in the second round due to a blister on her hand.

She then faced several injuries. She had to stop matches early because of leg and back problems. She also changed coaches again, deciding to work with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for a while.

Emma played her first clay-court matches of the season. She reached her first quarterfinal at a WTA 500 event in Germany, where she played against the world No. 1, Iga Świątek.

At Wimbledon, she was seeded 10th but lost in the second round. On July 11, 2022, she reached her highest ranking of No. 10 in the world.

Emma played well at the Cincinnati Open. She beat former world No. 1 players Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka without losing many games.

At the 2022 US Open, Emma was the defending champion. However, she lost in the first round. This meant her ranking dropped outside the top 80. She continued to struggle with injuries, including a wrist injury, and had to stop several matches. She finished the year ranked No. 75.

More Injuries and Surgeries (2023)

In 2023, Emma's injury problems continued. She had to stop a match at the Auckland Open because of an ankle injury. She played at the Australian Open but lost in the second round.

Her wrist problems came back, and she decided to have surgery on her ankle and both wrists. This meant she missed many tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon. Her ranking fell out of the top 100. She spent the rest of the year recovering from her surgeries.

Return to Tour and Top 10 Wins (2024)

Emma Raducanu at the 2024 Indian Wells Open

Emma returned to playing tennis in January 2024. She played at the Auckland Open and the Australian Open. She also started working with her former junior coach, Nick Cavaday.

She played for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup. She won both her matches, helping Great Britain reach the semifinals. She also reached her first quarterfinal since 2022 at the Stuttgart Open.

During the grass-court season, Emma reached the semifinals at the Nottingham Open. She then got her first win against a top-10 player, beating Jessica Pegula at the Eastbourne International.

At Wimbledon, Emma had another great run. She beat the world No. 9, Maria Sakkari, to reach the fourth round and get back into the top 100 rankings.

She continued to play tournaments, but injuries still caused her to withdraw from some events. In November, she played well at the Billie Jean King Cup finals, winning all her matches.

Australian Open Third Round (2025)

Emma Raducanu at the 2025 Australian Open serving against Amanda Anisimova

Emma started 2025 at the Australian Open. She won her first two matches, beating a seeded player and reaching the third round for the first time at this major tournament. She then lost to the second seed, Iga Świątek.

It was announced that Emma stopped working with her coach Nick Cavaday due to his health issues.

Emma Raducanu's Playing Style

Emma Raducanu playing a forehand shot at the 2021 Nottingham Open

Emma Raducanu is an aggressive player who likes to hit the ball early. She plays mostly from the back of the court (the baseline). Her best shot is her two-handed backhand, which experts call "world-class." She can also hit a one-handed slice backhand to change the pace.

Her forehand is strong, and her serve is powerful, reaching speeds of up to 110 miles per hour. She is known for her great return of serve, hitting the ball hard and deep.

Emma moves very well around the court. Her speed and quick footwork help her defend and attack. She is good at planning her shots and changing her tactics during a match. Even though she plays mostly from the baseline, she can also play well at the net and has a good drop shot. Emma is comfortable on all tennis surfaces, but she prefers hard courts, which is where she won her US Open title.

Emma Raducanu's Personal Life

Emma has said she looks up to tennis players like Simona Halep for her athleticism and Li Na for her strong mindset.

She is a big fan of Formula One racing and the football club Tottenham Hotspur.

In 2022, a man was found guilty of bothering Emma at her home. This made her feel unsafe. He was given community service and a five-year restraining order to keep him away from her.

Endorsements and Awards

Emma Raducanu has many sponsors, especially after her US Open win. She is sponsored by Nike for her clothes and shoes, and by Wilson for her racquets.

She has also signed deals with famous brands like Tiffany & Co., Dior, British Airways, Evian, Vodafone, Porsche, and HSBC. In 2023, she started offering online tennis coaching through a platform called AirWayz. The money from this goes to a youth coaching program.

Emma has won many awards for her achievements. In 2021, she was named Sportswoman of the Year by The Sunday Times and the Sports Journalists' Association. She also won the WTA Newcomer of the Year award.

On December 19, 2021, Emma was named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. She was the first female tennis player to win this award since 1977. She also received an award called Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to tennis.

In 2022, Emma won the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year and the Best Athlete, Women's Tennis award at the ESPY Awards.

Emma Raducanu's Career Statistics

Grand Slam Singles Performance

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 1 (1 title)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2021	US Open	Hard	Leylah Fernandez	6–4, 6–3

Tennis Records

See also

In Spanish: Emma Raducanu para niños