Emma Raducanu details what has changed on and off the court since US Open win

Emma Raducanu says she has struggled to get any privacy since winning the US Open.

The 21-year-old shocked the tennis world when she won the Grand Slam in 2021 having been ranked 150th in the world and not dropping a single set throughout the tournament.

Raducanu stormed to US Open victory in 2021 aged just 18Credit: AFPAlthough injuries have affected her progress, Raducanu is still eyed as one of the sport’s rising stars following such a monumental win.

However, whilst the attention that has followed since may be tough to deal with, Raducanu remained defiant and says it’s a reminder of her success.

Speaking to ITV reporter Mark Kielesz-Levine about what has changed physically and mentally since she won, she said: “I’d say I’m a lot stronger physically, I’ve done a lot of good work.

“I’m a lot more robust and I don’t think about my fitness as much but it’s obviously something that I need to continue working on.

READ MORE ON TENNIS”Obviously a lot has changed off court in my life but I think I’m just managing to learn and just go through the highs, the lows, keep it more level. I think I’m still learning on the job a little bit.”

When asked on how she copes with the day-to-day and continues to compete at the top, she said: “I’d say it’s hard to just shut out all the noise because there is a lot of it in every aspect.

“You don’t really have any privacy but it’s okay, I guess it just comes with the territory and I’d rather be in this position having achieved what I have than not. I think I just need to keep reminding myself of that.”

Raducanu is still working on a return to her best form having had double wrist surgery last year, as well as an ankle operation.

She has lamented the lack of privacy in her lifeCredit: GettyShe missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2023, with a lot of time therefore spent off the court.

But when she was asked if her absence saw her reconsider her future in tennis, she insisted: “No, I think it just made me a lot hungrier.

“When you’re taken away from something and you can’t do it physically you’re just like, ‘Wow okay.’

“You realise how much you miss it and how much, regardless of how difficult the tour is week in week out, you wouldn’t rather do anything else.”

After skipping this year’s French Open to continue work on her fitness, Raducanu will play at the Nottingham Open on Tuesday.

She faces Ena Shibahara as she eyes a return to Wimbledon, which starts on July 1.