It wasn’t that wickedly precise 108mph ace that won Emma Raducanu the US Open title earlier this month, nor even her arsenal of fearsome forehand and backhand shots. According to the people who know her best, it was something else altogether that allowed the 18-year-old to become the first qualifier in the history of tennis to win a Grand Slam, famously doing so without dropping a single set.
One suspects many more titles and unimaginable wealth (some PR and sports marketing experts think Raducanu could become Britain’s first billion-dollar sportsperson as major brands like Chanel and Aston Martin thrust endorsement contracts her way) lie in wait. She’s likely to inspire a generation of children to pick up tennis rackets, but in fact all young sportspeople – whether they kick a ball, swing a club, run, throw, leap, swim, dive or even drive a kart – stand to learn a huge amount from her.
