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US Open Champion and World No. 19 Emma Raducanu was crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021 at the BBC SPOTY awards on Sunday.
The 19-year-old could not attend the ceremony in Manchester since she is currently quarantining in Abu Dhabi after testing postive for COVID-19. However, she joined the celebration remotely, posing with a smaller replica that was sent to her prior to the official announcement.
Emma Raducanu created history by becoming the first ever player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier, and also the first British woman in more than four decades to win a Major.
Raducanu beamed with joy during her acceptance speech, talking about how she used to watch the SPOTY Awards as a child and how surreal it feels to win one herself at the end of an "insane" year.
"I'm really happy with this, I've watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up and I'm really humbled to join the amazing past winners," Raducanu said. "Thank you so much to all the voters and the fans for all the support I've received. This past year has been absolutely insane," she added.
The winner of the award was decided by telephone and online voting, after an expert panel came up with the list of nominees a few weeks ago.
In 2021, Emma Raducanu won the award ahead of Tom Daley (diving), Adam Peaty (swimming), Tyson Fury (boxing), Raheem Sterling (football) and Sarah Storey (cycling).
Furthermore, Raducanu became the first tennis player to win the Sports Personality of the Year award since Andy Murray in 2016 and the first female tennis player since Virginia Wade in 1977 -- who was the last British woman to win a Grand Slam.
Other awardees at the ceremony included Gareth Southgate (Coach of the Year), England men's football team (Team of the Year), Sky Brown (Young Sports Personality of the Year) and Simone Biles (Lifetime Achievement).
A look at Emma Raducanu's historic 2021
Emma Raducanu made her Grand Slam debut at the Wimbledon Championships as a wildcard this year. There she made it to the fourth round to become the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 in the Open Era. But she had to retire due to breathing difficulties during her fourth-round match.
At the US Open, she won all seven of her main draw matches in straight sets, the first woman to do so since Serena Williams in 2014. As a result, her world ranking went from 150 before the start of the tournament to 23 by the time she got her hands on the trophy.
She ended the year as the World No. 19, also winning the 2021 WTA Newcomer of the Year award.
