"My parents were very much against boyfriends... A lot of the time I was very resentful" - Emma Raducanu on her 'pushy' parents

Emma Raducanu’s breakthrough run at the 2021 US Open catapulted her to widespread recognition. The young champion, however, has not forgotten her roots.

Speaking to The Times in a recent interview, the British athlete looked back at her early years and the influence her parents, Ion and Renee, had on her life and career.

Raducanu recalled her parents forbidding her from dating anyone as they felt it would interfere with her training. The 21-year-old added that she was also barred from hanging out with her friends, which she resented.

“My parents were very much against [boyfriends] as it interfered with training," Emma Raducanu said. "When I was younger, I wasn’t even allowed to hang out with my girlfriends."

However, the former British No.1 was quick to add that her upbringing also made her confident and comfortable in her own company.

"A lot of the time I was very resentful. But it made me very confident and comfortable in my own company, which is also a big strength,” she added.

Describing her parents as “pushy” during her younger years, Raducanu said their approach has mellowed down over the years. A former Wimbledon girls' singles quarterfinalist, Raducanu transitioned onto the senior circuit in 2018.

“They are so pushy," Emma Raducanu said. "When I was younger, more so. Now they are at a place where they tell me what they think is best, but they realize ultimately that the more they push, the more I am going to resist."

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"At the start, my dad forced me into tennis” - Emma Raducanu

Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier - France v Great Britain

Raducanu recalled being introduced to tennis by her father, saying she did not like the sport immediately. Notably, neither of her parents are athletes, and work in the finance sector. However, she soon developed a penchant for the sport and began to push herself to be better.

“At the start, my dad forced me into tennis,” she said. “I didn’t like it, but then as I got older and tennis became more of a priority, I was pushing myself.”

Raducanu last played at the Madrid Open, losing in the first round to Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

The Briton’s current world ranking of No. 204 was not enough to secure a direct entry into the year’s second Grand Slam, the French Open. She was slated to play in the qualifiers but withdrew to focus on the grass season instead.