Raducanu is Sports Personality of the Year
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LONDON • Breakout tennis star Emma Raducanu was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, receiving British sport's annual individual accolade as a reward for her remarkable US Open triumph.
The 19-year-old stunned the sporting world in September when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam after beating Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the final at Flushing Meadows.
The teenager, who is of Chinese and Romanian descent, was also the first British woman to claim a major title since Virginia Wade triumphed at Wimbledon in 1977.
Raducanu, who instantly catapulted to fame, beat off competition from Tokyo Games synchronised 10m platform diving gold medallist Tom Daley, who was second, and Tokyo 100m breaststroke champion Adam Peaty in third place.
Other nominees included boxer Tyson Fury, Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and para-cyclist Sarah Storey.
"It's such an honour just to be amongst these nominees. To win is pretty amazing," said Raducanu, who also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon this year on her Slam debut.
"The energy this year playing at Wimbledon in front of my home crowd - that was something I've never felt before.
"I've watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up and it's an honour to be amongst those past winners.
"I'm happy for British tennis as well and that we've managed to get this award... again."
Andy Murray was the last tennis player to win the award in 2016, after claiming the trophy in 2015 and 2013.
His mother Judy, however, believes Raducanu is facing a "steep learning curve" ahead of her first full season on the WTA Tour.
There have been signs her transition from mainly playing on the developmental circuit this year to the demands of playing at the highest level will not be smooth-sailing. Raducanu suffered early losses to unfancied opponents in the three WTA events she entered after the US Open.
"The next 10 months will be completely different to anything she has experienced in her fledgling albeit incredibly exciting career," Judy wrote in a column for the Daily Telegraph.
"It will be a steep learning curve on the women's circuit as she adjusts from the relative anonymity of an A-level schoolgirl to the dog-eat-dog world of week in, week out Tour tennis.
"Add to that the expectation and demands of fans, media, sponsors and agents, you can see how her life has changed out of sight since winning the US Open."
REUTERS
