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Emma Raducanu recently spoke to People magazine about a host of topics, including her extraordinary 2021 season, the lessons she's learned and her advice for aspiring tennis players.
The 19-year-old, who won the US Open this year without dropping a set, admitted that she still has to put in "a lot of work" to develop her game. The Brit also conceded that she used to become "tough" on herself after a poor point and that her journey this year has helped her become more patient on the court.
"As a player, I think that I have a lot of work to do, to be honest," Emma Raducanu said. "A lot of the time I can get so caught up in the moment and caught up in a particular shot that, I'm very tough on myself. So to step back and look at how far I've come, I think that's the biggest thing I've learned [this year], just to be patient."
Earlier this week, the teenager was adjudged the Newcomer of the Year by the WTA, an honor that has been bestowed upon greats like Venus and Serena Williams in the past.
Raducanu said it was "crazy" to be amongst such elite company, and expressed her desire to "prolong" her tennis legacy, just like the Williams sisters.
"To join those names, I think, is pretty crazy," Raducanu continued. "And I don't really believe it, because they've achieved so much. So for me to be part of that little group, I think, is a good achievement. But I'm just really looking forward to getting started from here and trying to really make my tour experience and my tour legacy prolonged."
"If tennis gave me one thing, it's confidence"- Emma Raducanu
During the interview, the US Open champion was also asked to provide some advice to aspiring tennis players. In response, Raducanu said the most important thing was to enjoy competing.
Opening up about her own journey, the Brit said playing tennis helped her develop a lot of confidence. She revealed that she often had to train with boys, which she didn't feel comfortable doing, but she had learned to let go of her fears over time.
"I'd say smile and enjoy," Raducanu said. "If tennis gave me one thing, it's confidence. I was a really shy little girl. And I know when I was training and had to play with the boys, I was kind of scared of them and wasn't loving it. But then it brings you so much confidence. And I feel like I'm in such a better place now that I played the sport as a girl."
