Emma Raducanu was a relatively unknown player entering 2021. The young Brit turned professional in 2018. The Brit had spent much of the previous season in the lower echelons of the tour. Raducanu won the first ever UK Pro League series in 2020. Raducanu made her main draw debut with a wild card to the 2021 Nottingham Open. The young Brit was defeated in the first round by Harriet Dart.
Emma Raducanu season review
Following on from Nottingham, the young Brit was awarded a main draw wildcard for The Championships at Wimbledon. Raducanu defeated Russian Vitalia Diatchenko in the first round. The Brit secured the first set on a tiebreak. Diatchenko was outplayed in the second set. The Brit demolished the Russian in the second set. Raducanu did not lose a game in the second to claim her first grand slam main draw win.
Markéta Vondroušová was the Brit opponent in the second round. The Czech found Raducanu too strong in the first set. The Brit eased into a one set lead. Vondroušová came closer in the second set, however the young Brit secured the break and moved into the third round.
Raducanu is the youngest British woman to make the third round since Elena Baltacha in 2002. The next round the Brit played Sorana Cîrstea on court one. The young Brit relished the appearance on the show court. Raducanu broke the Romanian quickly to take the lead. The Romanian looked to force a tiebreak in the second set. The young Brit was not standing for this. Raducanu broke to seal the win and move into the fourth round.
History Maker
At the history making 18 years and 239 days, Raducanu was the youngest British women into the last 16 in the open era. The fourth round Ajla Tomljanović stood in the way of a British women into the last eight. Unfortunately, Raducanu had breathing difficulties in the second set and had to withdraw.
The young Brit experienced criticism following her withdrawal. Suggestions that Raducanu couldn’t handle the pressure. The youngster went on to complete her A level exams and passed with high grades in Maths and Economics.
Raducanu flew out to America for the US Open. In preparation the young Brit received a wildcard into the Silicon Valley Classic. The Brit lost in the first round. Raducanu switched coaches then played the WTA event in Chicago where the Brit made the final.
US Open
Raducanu entered qualifying at Flushing Meadows. The Brit secured straight set wins making the main draw. Still really an unknown the Brit started an amazing run at the last Grand Slam of the season. Raducanu was the underdog as a qualifier. However, the young Brit defeated Stefanie Vögele, Zhang Shuai, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Shelby Rogers, Belinda Bencic, and Maria Sakkari to make the final.
The young Brit moved through the rounds in straight sets. Raducanu jumped up the rankings to #25 in the world. The Brit was the first singles qualifier to make the semi final and final of the US Open in the Open era. The final was a battle of the teenagers. Raducanu claimed her maiden slam title without dropping a set.
The teenager then split with her coach who guided her to the title. Raducanu accepted a wildcard into Indian Wells and lost in the first round. The next outing for the young Brit was in Cluj-Napoca where Raducanu made the quarter final. The Brit last event of the season was in Linz. The youngster was the top seed. After taking the first set the Brit lost the next ones to suffer defeat in the first round.
Emma Raducanu announced Torben Beltz as the coach to take her forward and advance her career.
Main Photo from Getty.
