The bond between a mother and daughter is special, and full of love and support. The same has been the case with Emma Raducanu as well. Highly regarded as one of the upcoming sensations, the young girl from Britain has stunned everyone with her jaw-dropping performances. However, behind all this, her mom has been a key player in advising when to make big decisions. Whether it’s about her career or personal life, their strong relationship has helped Emma grow as a person and a player.
Emma Raducanu has always been known for her maturity beyond her years, but she credits much of that wisdom to the support of her mother, Renne Zhai. In a recent interview with Women’s Health Magzine, Raducanu opened up about how her mother and coach Nick Cavaday have been vital in shaping her career decisions.
Though Emma shows remarkable independence, she is quick to point out that her mother and coach play key roles in helping her while making tough choices, such as opting for surgery and deciding not to compete in mixed doubles with Andy Murray at Wimbledon this year. “My mum is a big pillar of mine in all senses – professional and personal,” Raducanu shared. “She knows me inside out, it’s kind of freaky, so I go to her a lot. She’s my best friend.”
Renne Zhai, originally from Shenyang, China, moved to Toronto for her career in finance, where she met Ian Raducanu, Emma’s father. Her background has greatly influenced Emma’s mindset as an athlete. Raducanu believes that the discipline and self-belief her mother passed on to her are rooted in the strong values of ancient Chinese culture. These principles have helped Emma maintain the confidence needed to excel on the tennis court despite her challenges.
Emma emphasized how crucial her mother’s guidance has been in making her the person and player she is today. From tough career decisions to personal matters, Renne’s influence remains the most important thing for her daughter. While her mother has been of great help to her, Emma once also revealed how her parents are pushy and how tennis was not her choice, but rather an implementation.
Emma Raducanu reveals how her parents have been ‘pushy’ towards her
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Did Emma Raducanu’s parents’ strictness make her a champion, or was it too much pressure?
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Emma Raducanu, in an interview with the Times earlier this year, opened up about her parents. She suggested that it was her dad who forced her to play tennis. However, as she got older, it became her priority to play tennis and she started to push herself.
“They are so pushy. 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,” said Emma Raducanu further in the interview. However, this has helped her in many ways as well.
She suggested that she had seen many parents who were lenient towards their kids. “It’s OK if you lost”, said Raducanu about the parents who used to encourage their children despite the loss. However, she further added that those kids were nowhere to be seen now. Hence, her parents’ strictness paved the way for a better future.
Thus, Emma Raducanu, who is an up-and-rising tennis player, opened up about the impact of her parents while shaping her tennis career. While her mother has been very helpful throughout her tennis journey, it was due to her parents’ strictness that she got the chance to become one of the best and even win a grand slam at the US Open.
