Emma Raducanu wins WTA newcomer of the year award for US Open heroics

Teen sensation Emma Raducanu has been voted as the WTA Newcomer of the Year following her historic 2021 season. 

The British star stunned the world by becoming the first qualifier to win a grand slam at the US Open, carrying on from reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in the summer - all without having won a match on the regular WTA Tour.

Raducanu, who has become a global star in the wake of her win in New York, finished the year ranked 19th in world, capping a meteoric rise from 343 at the start of 2021.

Despite a stunning season - which has put her favourite for this year's Sports Personality of the Year - Wimbledon icon Virginia Wade has urged fans to reign in their expectations of Raducanu and allow her to develop naturally.

The WTA Tour said: "Emma Raducanu was voted the WTA Newcomer of the Year after making history in 2021 by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam at the US Open, where she did not drop a set throughout all 10 of her matches.

"Having made her grand slam main draw debut at Wimbledon this year, she reached the last 16 to become the youngest British woman to reach this stage at the All-England Club.

"Her other notable results this season include reaching the final at the Chicago WTA 125 and the quarter-finals at the Transylvania Open (Cluj-Napoca). The British teenager started the year ranked No.343 and finishes the season at a career-best of World No.19."

The awards keep coming for Raducanu, having been named BT Sport Action Woman of the Year and Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, and she is expected to add to her collection at this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, where she is the overwhelming favourite.

World number one and Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty won the WTA Player of the Year.

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