Four years after stunning the tennis world by winning the 2021 US Open at just 18, British star Emma Raducanu finds herself in a very different place. Now 22 and ranked No. 39 in the WTA standings, Raducanu is still chasing the form that carried her to glory in New York while managing the ups and downs of both her career and the spotlight that has followed her ever since.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Raducanu opened up about something far more personal than tennis—the lasting fear brought on by two stalking incidents that have deeply impacted her life.
“That was probably the worst [public attention] I’ve had. I remember straight afterwards, I found it very difficult going out. I definitely had a bit of a leftover lag effect. But I’ve been a lot more astute, a lot more, I’d say, safe and I have someone with me. I don’t really go out on my own as much. No solo walks. Just always having someone watching my back,” Raducanu said, recalling the most recent episode.
The latest incident occurred in February of this year in Dubai, when a man who had been following her across four different tournaments appeared in the stands during one of her matches before being escorted out. The first episode dates back to 2021, when another man was convicted after stealing items from outside her home and was issued a five-year restraining order.
Despite those difficult experiences, Raducanu is now channeling her focus back into tennis. She returns to Flushing Meadows for this year’s US Open hoping to regain the confidence and stability that once made her a Grand Slam champion.
Adding intrigue to her campaign is the prospect of partnering with Carlos Alcaraz in the mixed doubles draw. While the pairing has fueled speculation about their off-court relationship, Raducanu is keeping her attention firmly on performance.
The cost of sudden success
Raducanu has also been candid about the burden of expectations that came with her breakthrough title. The fairytale run in New York brought global fame but also overwhelming pressure.
In a 2023 interview with The Times, she admitted: “Since then, I’ve had many setbacks, one after another. I’m resilient and my tolerance is high, but it’s not easy. Sometimes I think to myself: ‘I wish I had never won the US Open, I wish it had never happened’”.
As Raducanu steps back onto the courts of Flushing Meadows, she does so with a mix of scars and resilience, aiming to rediscover the joy and confidence that once made her the sport’s brightest young star.