"New Balls Please" - Can Emma Raducanu Be The New Face Of British Tennis?

Every so often, a singular athlete defines a new generation for their sport. In the world of tennis, Serena Williams was that defining star and dominated every court across the globe for almost two decades. Presently, there are a handful of young stars that are in line to succeed the 23-time grand slam champion, but the trojan horse among them is 18-year-old Emma Raducanu.

Bursting onto the scene at Wimbledon, Raducanu showed early signs of promise, entering the tournament at just 18-years-old, and winning her first 3 matches in straight sets. However, a perceived medical issue saw her retire from her 4th round matchup against Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, leaving her exposed to some serious doubt surrounding her future.

Famed controversialist Piers Morgan was met with fierce retaliation from fans when he accused Raducanu of "quitting when she was losing badly" and called her retirement "Not brave but a shame".

Ever since her performances have been nothing short of astounding.

Emma Raducanu at the US Open - skysports.com

Her early exit on home soil has sparked a sudden run of form, culminating in her current meteoric rise through this year's US Open.

After entering the tournament as a qualifier, Raducanu blitzed her way to a quarter-final appearance against newly crowned Olympic Champion Belinda Bencic, who was disposed of quickly by the young Brit in straight sets (6-3, 6-4).

Ranked at number 150 on the WTA Tours official rankings, Raducanu is far above her past performances and is officially putting the world on notice as Britains future number one trailblazer for women's tennis.

Of course, only time will tell if the story of this young star ends in silverware and sporting immortality, but her meteoric rise and incredible playing ability is certainly something to get excited about for the future.

Emma Raducanu at the US Open - thegaurdian.com

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