Emma Raducanu’s US Open win will inspire young Brits claims fellow British star
Cameron Norrie believes Emma Raducanu has inspired the next generation and feels many youngsters will take up tennis after her phenomenal US Open victory shocked the world.
19-year-old British sensation Raducanu attracted the world’s attention when she became the first ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam after winning the US Open in the Summer.
Raducanu achieved this remarkable feat without dropping a single set against some of the world’s best players, including World number six Maria Sakkari and Swiss Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic.
As a result of her breakthrough season, Raducanu was named WTA Newcomer of the Year, BT Sport Action Woman of the Year and BBC Sport Personality of the Year. She is also set to receive an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II after being named on the New Year Honours List.
Fellow Brit Cameron Norrie also enjoyed a breakthrough season of his own this year in which he won the Indian Wells Masters and rose 59 places in the ATP World rankings to finish 12th in the world.
Norrie feels Raducanu’s awe-inspiring victory at Flushing Meadows will inspire the next generation of British tennis players and will lead to many youngsters developing an interest in tennis, leading to them picking up a tennis racket.
Norrie said “to do that at such a young age, and to do it with that kind of confidence, and to come out and own the court every match – it was extremely impressive.
“Definitely, it’s going to give the girls around the ranking that she was at before the US Open [150th] a lot of confidence and a lot of belief.
“For sure, it’s going to put a lot of rackets in hands for the next generation of younger boys and girls to start playing tennis at home in the UK.”
Norrie’s prediction has already proved to be true, as grassroots sports management app Spond revealed that user data showed an estimated 100,000 Brits began playing tennis in the two months following Raducanu’s US Open win.
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