Although Raducannu is only 18 years old this year, the superstar temperament she showed after winning the US Open has made the world begin to look forward to it: Will this be the next "tennis diva"?
Text | Wang Zhongyun
There is no shortage of dream stories of "one-goal fame" in sports.
Recently, such a story happened to a British tennis girl who is only 18 years old: Emma Raducanu, in the just-concluded 2021 US Open, starting from the qualifiers, won 10 consecutive women's singles titles, and did not even lose a single set in the whole process.
Raducano on the streets of New York after winning the championship Source: Raducano Social Media
Completing this "miracle" of the U.S. Open dream journey, Raducano became the first Briton to win a Grand Slam women's singles title in 44 years, the youngest Grand Slam women's singles champion since Wimbledon's Sharapova in 2004, and the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam women's singles title since the Open era.
Her miraculous performance caused a sensation in the UK and around the world. From the Queen of England to the Prime Minister, to celebrities from all walks of life, they have publicly sent blessings to this talented girl.
Radukanu has also attracted a lot of attention in China, because she is half Chinese. After winning the championship, she used Chinese on the official Weibo of the US Open to thank the fans for their support.
"I love you, goodbye," she said naturally and kindly. Raducannu's mother is from Shenyang, China, so it's not surprising that her Chinese can hear a hint of "northeast cavities."
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At the age of 18, no one expected, in the world's highest level of competition, coupled with her sunny and positive appearance, and the multicultural background that comes with her, countless people began to expect: Will Raducanu become the next tennis superstar? Or imagine being bolder and the next world-renowned sports star?
"Chinese family is always very tough"
With a 2-0 win over his peer Fernandez in the final, Raducanu's performance at the US Open is now being talked about. Three weeks ago, however, she was a completely unknown young player.
She has just entered professional tennis, and the US Open is only her second grand slam tournament; she has never won even one tournament on a tour of the WTA above the 250 level; she is 150th in the world before participating in the US Open. It's no wonder that in an interview with NBC after winning the championship, recalling the mood when he first arrived in New York, Raducannu said: "Three weeks ago I thought I couldn't keep playing, and then I thought maybe I would go home after the qualifying. ”
However, perhaps it is this almost blank racing experience that finally bursts out with amazing energy. Raducannu said that throughout the US Open, she felt that because she was only 18 years old, she did not feel nervous after playing. She was just engrossed in thinking about the game plan and left everything else behind.
Young Raducano with his mother Source: The Daily Mail
Of course, Raducano also credits this fantastic champion to her parents for her good education.
Her father, Ian, is Romanian and her mother, Renee, is from Shenyang, China. In 2002, the two gave birth to Radukanu in Toronto, Canada, the only daughter in the family.
Now on Raducannu's social media, it has been noted that she has listed four cities — London, Toronto, Bucharest and Shenyang — where she lives, where she was born and where her parents belong.
At the age of 2, the family moved to live in the UK. Throughout his teenage years, Raducannu was exposed to a variety of sports, including horseback riding, swimming, tap dancing, skiing, golf, and of course, tennis, which he had been exposed to since the age of 5.
Since childhood, parents have maintained the careful exercise and cultivation of their daughters. "My mother is from Shenyang, and I used to go to Shenyang for training in the summer. My mom always told me to be disciplined and respectful. People in my middle country have always been very mentally resilient, and it seems that nothing can destroy them. ”
After winning the championship, she told ABC that her parents, who worked in finance, were indeed strict when they were young, but now all of this has been shown on the world's largest stage. "It's really nice to talk to your parents after winning the championship. They've been so strict that it seems hard to satisfy them, but now I've done it with the US Open title. ”
Quickly became the focus, but without losing its naivety
The Wimbledon tournament played earlier this year was Raducano's first Grand Slam. Before the start of the tournament, her personal social media Instagram had just over 10,000 followers, and when she reached the Wimbledon Round of 16, that number increased to 360,000. Now that the U.S. Open has won, Radukanu's fan base has skyrocketed to nearly 1.6 million.
The huge contrast in the number of social media followers is just a microcosm of Raducannu's current surge in attention. After all, she had already received congratulatory letters from the Queen of England. In her letter, the Queen wrote that being able to achieve such extraordinary achievements at such a young age is the best proof of your hard work and dedication.
In an interview with ABC, Raducannu also expressed his gratitude to the Queen for her congratulations: "It's crazy to think about, it's unbelievable. I feel very honoured and grateful to receive a letter from Her Majesty the Queen. I mean, it means everything to me. I might frame that letter and put it in my room or somewhere else. ”
Source of the Queen's congratulatory letter to Raducannu: The Daily Mail
Today, Raducanu has also become the darling of the British media. Recently opened the pages of major British media outlets, she appeared in various prominent positions. The BBC reported that several bookmakers had listed her as the top favourite for Sports Person of the Year, ahead of long-established sports stars like diver Daly.
However, Raducano's current popularity has clearly broken through the world of sports. Just 48 hours after winning the US Open, she became one of the brightest stars at the New York Met Gala Fashion Night, known as the Fashion Oscar.
Raducano appears in Met Gala
That night, 1.75 meters tall, Raducannu, dressed in a gorgeous handkerchief skirt, with a beautiful short vest and a large printed shirt, wearing a brilliant pearl body ornament, stood on the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Outside the tennis court, she also stole the limelight on her first red carpet trip.
Remember that she was joined by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Megan Fox and Jennifer Lopez who attended the Met Gala that night. Also the sports stars who appeared at the gala were Stephen Curry, the most famous star in the NBA today.
Although Raducannu was quickly surrounded by flashes after "one goal of fame", she still showed the innocent side of her age on various occasions.
She won a whopping £1.8 million after winning the US Open, though she said in a previous interview that she had only hoped to get money to buy a new pair of headphones. Because after the first qualifying round, Raducannu lost his headphones.
Jokes about headphones have been all the way through Raducannu's trip to the U.S. Open. After winning the title, she said she hadn't had time to buy new headphones yet, "but I'll get it done before I leave New York."
Born with a superstar temperament
Although Radukanu was not familiar to the world before the US Open, the people who have been accompanying her to grow up think that she is a natural "big scene player".
In response, Radukanu's adolescent coach Bushnell said, "She will have more achievements in the future." I knew she could. I watched her interview after the US Open and Raducano did very well. As she waved the trophy after the final, she said she was ready for what came next. Although she's only 18 years old, it gives the feeling of 'she's been through this before'. She was born with this piece of material."
This "superstar temperament" is accompanied by great commercial value. Just after she won the championship, people began to wonder how many sponsors would come to the door next. Researchers at the University of Oxford believe that "she is simply the most coveted object of marketers". Given Raducannu's healthy external image and diverse international background, from sporting goods to fashion, jewelry and cosmetics, this talented girl may be favored.
In London, more people in the financial community have proposed that Raducano can earn $100 million in the next year. For such data predictions, people are currently unable to draw conclusions. But predictably, the story of the 18-year-old tennis girl has only just begun.
References: ABC—Good Morning America, NBC News, DailyMail, CNN Business
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