The young Briton started 2021 as a virtual unknown. Now she’s the undeniable favourite for Sports Personality of the Year
The first senior grand slam experience of Emma Raducanu’s career played out on court 18 in the quiet west side of the Wimbledon grounds this year. The crowd, not too familiar with the No 338, were drawn to Raducanu only by the flag beside her name. Raducanu faced the Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, the 150-ranked qualifier, and after a tight opening set that went to a tiebreak a soon-to-be-familiar sight unfolded. Raducanu permanently took her place inside the baseline and ruthlessly tore through the second set without the loss of another game.
Considering her total inexperience as a professional, had that one first-round win at Wimbledon ended up being Raducanu’s greatest achievement in 2021, it still would have been an immense success. Coming into Wimbledon, she had earned £29,889 prize money in her young career but her first-round win netted £75,000.