Emma Raducanu can still barely believe her own success.
Emma Raducanu (c) ELLE UK / Sebastian Kim
The 19-year-old star shocked the sporting world with her against-the-odds triumph at the US Open in 2021, and even now, Emma can hardly believe that she's become a role model for young boys and girls around the world.
She shared: "I feel like if girls, or even boys, can see me out there having fun, smiling and doing things they can really relate to. I want to inspire kids to keep playing. I still find it hard to believe I'm that person."
Emma received a congratulatory message from Queen Elizabeth following her success in the Big Apple.
And opening the letter remains a surreal moment for the teenage star.
Asked to recall the biggest pinch-me moment of her career so far, Emma told the July/August issue of ELLE UK magazine: "Definitely when I stepped off the court at the US Open, and when I received a letter from the Queen."
Emma believes having a positive, can-do attitude has been the key to dramatic rise over the last 12 months.
She said: "Whatever you're doing, try to really enjoy it, and have fun. When I'm genuinely smiling and happy, that's when my best results have come.
"In New York, I was loving my walk through Times Square to get frozen yoghurt every night. It was such a small thing, but I feel like it definitely played a part in my happiness, and that translated to my performance on the court."
Last year, meanwhile, Emma hailed Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as a "great inspiration".
The tennis star praised the 40-year-old royal for how she handles the pressures of fame.
She said: "I think the duchess is such a great inspiration, just with how she handles everything and how she does so much good work for charities. She's a real inspiration to the whole country."
The July/August issue of ELLE UK is on sale from June 8. (http://www.elle.com/uk/EmmaRaducanu2022)
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