Emma Raducanu’s supporters cried tears of joy as they saw her win the US Open final at a viewing party hosted by her home club.
Raducanu played at Parklangley Club in Beckenham, south east London, from the age of six, and the viewing party was crammed with her friends and admirers.
The final minutes of the game were incredibly tense as her supporters at the club watched, but shouts of “Emma, Emma, Emma” and tears of joy erupted throughout the room as the 18-year-old fell to the ground in New York after sealing the win.
Suzanne Williams, Raducanu’s former strength and conditioning trainer, and Harry Bushnell, her former coach, were both extremely emotional minutes after she won.
Suzanne Williams (centre), Strength and Conditioning coach for Emma Raducanu aged 8-12, at the Parklangley Club in Beckenham, celebrates her winning the US Open Final.
David Parry
Ms Williams said: “That was an incredible match and she had to work so hard and I am so impressed.”
Mr Bushnell added: “I said earlier on if she was going to win, she would win with straight sets, I mean it is just a joke of an achievement for her, I think it was important that she got it done in that second set.”
“Fair play to her opponent she was equally as unbelievable.”
There was an audible gasp from the crowd when Raducanu fell and scraped her knee, with her former coach Ms Williams saying she “winced” when it happened and called her a “hero” for continuing the game.
Mr Bushnell said: “That reminded me of when she fell over on Claker Way when I was teaching her how to slide once and her dad just told her to get up and get on with it.”
Harry Bushnell, coach to Emma Raducanu aged 6-10 at the Parklangley Club in Beckenham, where Emma trained from age 6 gets ready to watch her in the US Open Final.
David Parry
He coached Raducanu from the age of six to 10 and said: “I think it’s a testament to her because she’s such a pleasant person, on and off the court, and I think that’s why so many people are getting behind her and certainly here at the club.
“Parklangley club will always be behind her every step of the way.”
Raducanu played against Leylah Fernandez, a 19-year-old Canadian who also was not expected to make it to the final.
The Briton won 6-4 6-3 without dropping a set in a game intensely felt by viewers in Beckenham.
After the game, the newly crowned US Open champion thanked her supporters watching from home, which was met with rapturous cheers and applause from the crowd at Parklangley Club.
