EMMA RADUCANU won the 2021 US Open and is set to take on Coco Gauff in the Australian Open tomorrow.
But the British starlet, 20, is more than just a phenomenal tennis player, enjoying an exciting and fascinating life off the court.
Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021
The 20-year-old boasts more than 2.5million followers on Instagram
She is a petrolhead and enjoys go-karting and motocross
Raducanu beat Tamara Korpatsch at the Australian Open on Monday
Raducanu shares a lot of her incredible life with her 2.5MILLION Instagram followers – which has increased dramatically since her US Open breakthrough.
The young star loves watching other sports, travelling the world, spending time with friends and inspiring the next generation.
Here, SunSport takes a look into the life of Raducanu – Britain’s latest tennis icon.
BILINGUAL STAR
Raducanu was born in Toronto, Canada, in November 2002 before moving to London two years later and growing up in Britain.
Her dad, Ian, is Romanian and her mum, Renee, is Chinese – and the star’s heritage is a huge part of her life.
Raducanu previously listed four locations on her official Instagram page: London, Toronto, Bucharest and Shenyang.
According to BBC Sport, she’s “quite capable” of speaking Mandarin and loves to watch Taiwanese TV shows.
The youngster also enjoys visiting Romania to see her family and beloved grandmother, Mamiya.
Raducanu met Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the British GP
She also attended England’s Euro 2020 semi-final win against Denmark
F1 fanatic Raducanu has described her physio as her ‘mechanic’
She told the press: “I go back a couple of times a year, stay with her, see her. It’s really nice. I love the food, to be honest.
“I mean, the food is unbelievable. And my grandma’s cooking is also something special. I do have ties to Bucharest.”
DRIVEN TO SUCCESS
One of Raducanu’s great passions in life is motorsport, visiting Silverstone to watch Sir Lewis Hamilton win the British Grand Prix in July 2021.
She loved go-karting and motocross as a child and continues to dabble in the sports during her spare time.
Expect to see her at many F1 races in the coming years – and other sporting events, too.
Raducanu is fond of horse riding, tap dancing, golf, skiing, basketball and football – cheering England on during recent tournaments.
She watched the Three Lions beat Denmark at Wembley during Euro 2020, and even claimed the US Open title was coming ‘home’ after her win.
That is of course a reference to English football’s famous “It’s Coming Home” chant, which is heard in stadiums when the national team achieves.
She also attended the World Cup final last month between Argentina and France, describing the occasion as “iconic”.
But tennis is her priority – and not even the Covid-19 lockdown could stop her from practising against the garage door.
Raducanu received an open letter from the late Queen after her US Open win
Sports fanatic Raducanu attended last month’s World Cup final
Tottenham fan Raducanu showed off her Spurs top in Stuttgart last year
FAMOUS FRIENDS
Every celebrity will want to be mates with Raducanu after her success at Flushing Meadows.
Various famous faces, including Boris Johnson, Ant & Dec, Stephen Fry, Nicola Sturgeon and Clare Balding have paid tribute to her success.
Even the late QUEEN published an open letter to congratulate Raducanu on her remarkable triumph – which the tennis star planned to frame.
Raducanu is also mates with Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United hero offering his support after her Wimbledon exit.
She recently told Vogue: “I was feeling like I let people down, so for him to reassure me like that – I was extremely grateful.”
Rashford congratulated Raducanu on her American success, tweeting: “Look at that bounce back… US Open champion, amazing. Congratulations!”
And she went to the same school as sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, although they attended Newstead Wood in Orpington at different times.
Raducanu has not forgotten her roots, taking time out her busy schedule to visit her old primary school on sports day.
Raducanu inspired the next generation by handing out medals and playing tennis with the kids, giving them some priceless tips.
And she was recently awarded an MBE by the King.
The tennis player loves travelling the world
She has become the new darling on British tennis
Raducanu was recently awarded an MBE
SEEING THE SIGHTS
Raducanu loves playing tennis around the world, regularly posting updates of her travels on Instagram.
When she competed at the Chicago Tennis Festival, she revealed her appreciation of the American city, writing: “See you soon Chicago.”
The youngster has also been to Miami, the Golden Bridge in San Francisco and the Empire State Building in New York.
Just this year, she has already visited New Zealand while playing a tournament in Auckland, while she headed to Singapore during the off-season.
And, as she gets used to life on the tour, the Grand Slam winner will continue to check off every major city on the planet to show off her incredible tennis skills.
Emma Raducanu recently visited New Zealand
She visited Singapore during the off season
CASH IN THE BANK
Raducanu is now a millionaire after picking up a cheque for £1.8m – for winning the US Open.
And she’s expected to earn £150MILLION during her blossoming career thanks to prize money and various endorsements.
Talent agent Jonathan Shalit revealed: “I already have her down to become the first £150million British female sports star.
“And she could be the biggest female sports star in the world.”
But Raducanu isn’t driven by the cash and aims to continue winning titles and inspiring the next generation of female athletes to succeed.
Coach Matt James, who worked with her since she was 16, said: “She will inspire a lot of people, especially girls. She has a great attitude.
‘”She’s playing these matches with a smile on her face and she’s going out and saying, ‘I’m just going to enjoy the experience.’
“But at the same time she is a fierce competitor who can compose herself under enormous pressure.”
Raducanu is expected to make £150MILLION during her career
