Emma Raduanu carries a quiet confidence on and off the court but recently revealed during an interview that she used to be very shy as a young girl.
The Briton has not competed since the Wimbledon Championships nearly a month ago. She lost in the second round to Caroline Garcia, continuing her difficult season that has not matched the hopes some had.
In truth, the expectations from many media figures and outlets of Raducanu since her 2021 US Open triumph have been absurd. The 19-year-old was always going to experience challenging moments as a young player.
Younger players may become overwhelmed when the media becomes negative. This can be particularly difficult for shy people who naturally do not want the spotlight.
In an interview with students at Wolverley Secondary School, Raducanu revealed she was shy when she first started playing tennis, but beating boys and recovering from losing positions helped her overcome that shyness.
"I used to be really shy as a young girl and playing tennis and beating the boys and coming back when I was losing, that just brought me a lot of confidence. Yeah, I can say that I'm definitely more comfortable and outgoing now than I was when I was younger, and I think tennis has brought me that."
During the interview, Raducanu also discussed other topics, such as whether she had ever considered quitting tennis. She admitted that thought did cross her mind during the pandemic, but the 19-year-old is glad she kept playing.
Raducanu's next scheduled tournament is the Citi Open in Washington. She undoubtedly has high hopes for the North American hard court season after her incredible run at Flushing Meadows last year, where she won the title as a qualifier without dropping a set.
The Briton will be joined by stars like Venus Williams, who is set to make her first singles appearance in nearly a year at the tournament.
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