PICTURE: Emma Raducanu's mother makes rare appearance to cheer Brit on ahead of Wimbledon

Emma Raducanu is back at Wimbledon, hoping to make a dream run and win the prestigious grasscourt Major for the first time. Giving her an extra boost of motivation today was a familiar face in the stands--her mother, Renee Zhai.

After a tough start to the season, Raducanu found some rhythm during the grasscourt swing. She reached the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club before heading to Eastbourne, where she fell in the Round of 16 to eventual champion Maya Joint.

The Brit hasn’t let that loss, or the back issues that troubled her in Eastbourne, affect her mindset. She’s been putting in the hours on the practice courts at SW19, even hitting with Carlos Alcaraz in one of her sessions, and looks fully focused and ready for the challenge ahead.

In the meantime, Emma Raducanu’s mother, Renee Zhai, was seen in the stands during practice, keeping a close eye on her daughter. Her attention never wavered, as she quietly observed the former US Open champion fine-tune her game.

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Zhai, who hails from China, moved to Toronto to build a career in finance, where she later met her husband, Ion Raducanu. Together, they’ve been a driving force behind their daughter's tennis career, constantly pushing her to be the best version of herself.

Emma Raducanu plays down expectations ahead of Wimbledon

Emma Raducanu pictured at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships | Image Source: Getty

Emma Raducanu attended a pre-tournament press conference at Wimbledon ahead of the tournament’s start on Monday, June 30. She admitted that she isn’t putting too much pressure on herself right now and simply wants to enjoy the experience and take things as they come.

Raducanu said:

“Truthfully, I don't expect much from myself this year. I know I've just been dealing with certain things. I just want to go out there and embrace the moment. I want to embrace the occasion.”

“I know there’s not many opportunities to be playing at Wimbledon. You get it once a year and for a finite amount of time. I'm just looking forward to going out there and feeling the surroundings and the atmosphere," she added.

Raducanu will begin her Wimbledon campaign on Monday with an all-British clash against 17-year-old rising star Mingge Xu. It is set to be the duo's first-ever encounter

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Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis & baseball coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh