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Emma Raducanu's US Open triumph has brought her an unprecedented amount of stardom. The 18-year-old broke several records last week in New York by becoming the first qualifier ever to lift a Grand Slam trophy.
However, this isn't the first time Raducanu has made the headlines. The Brit announced herself to the tennis world at Wimbledon earlier this year, where as a wildcard ranked outside the top 300 she made the fourth round.
Raducanu was ultimately forced to retire mid-way through that match against Ajla Tomljanovic due to dizziness. That caused some people to attribute the setback to nerves, while others labeled her a one-time wonder.
The 18-year-old's grandmother Niculina Raducanu, however, was seriously concerned about her health. Speaking to Daily Mail, Niculina revealed that she had asked Emma's parents at the time whether it would be advisable to quit playing tennis.
"I asked her parents if she should quit tennis," Raducanu's grandmother said. "Because what if something should happen to Emma? Her health is more important (than wealth or fame)."
Emma Raducanu's grandmother also felt the closed roof on Wimbledon's Centre Court played a part in the US Open champion's eventual dizziness and breathlessness.
"The court she played on that day had a roof over it because it was raining, and she felt she couldn't breathe," Niculina added.
When asked how she felt about Raducanu's Grand Slam achievement, the 88-year-old declared she was proud of her granddaughter before asserting that she had always been a fighter.
"Of course, I'm very proud of her," Mrs. Raducanu went on. "But I've never told anyone I'm the grandmother of a Grand Slam champion. I am a very modest woman, and I don't want people to think I'm bragging. When Emma puts her mind to it, she will get it. She was always a fighter."
Niculina Raducanu further revealed she taught her granddaughter to be polite with everyone, while also instilling the value of kindness in her.
"'I always taught her how to be kind, polite and nice to people," Niculina said. "I told her not to harm anyone, and speak nicely to everyone. That's what I think she got from me."
"The night she won the US Open, I couldn't watch because my heart couldn't take it" - Emma Raducanu's grandmother
Niculina Raducanu couldn't watch her granddaughter play in the US Open final due to the stress of the highly-anticipated encounter. However, the 88-year-old admitted during the interview she was delighted that Emma was strong both physically and mentally, especially given what had transpired at Wimbledon.
"The night she won the U.S. Open, I couldn't watch because my heart couldn't take it," the 88-year-old said. "I said to myself: 'This match is going to be a really tough one,' so I decided not to watch it."
"I only found out the news the next day, and I was delighted she was strong and healthy, and that her mind was healthy also — especially after what happened the last time [at Wimbledon]," she added. "When I talked to my son, I was happy for him. He would have been so disappointed if she'd have lost after all the work and resources they'd put into this."
