If ever there's a need to find the physical embodiment of the term ‘as cool as a cucumber’, look no further than US Open winner Emma Raducanu MBE.
Earlier this week the 19-year-old British number one female tennis player made her Roland Garros debut in France, almost a year after she made history in New York, beating fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez to win the US Open. That moment saw the Bromley-raised teen become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in the 1977 Wimbledon Championships. It also cemented her overnight rise to fame.
But, if you thought the pressure of high-profile tennis matches and celebrity stardom might be all too much for the ELLE UK cover star, think again.
'Honestly, before the US Open I didn’t feel like I had the nation’s hopes on my shoulders,' she says matter-of-factly during a game of Ask Me Anything with ELLE UK. 'I was really just enjoying it and taking all of the support I was receiving as fuel.'
‘The standout [memory] for me was when I got the letter form the Queen after the [US Open] final,' she continues. 'I just got taken into a room and they were like “Okay, we have something for you”, and then I opened this folder and it was a letter printed out and signed by Her Majesty.'
As for her lucky ‘charms’ during the US Open last year, Raducanu - who is a Tiffany & Co. ambassador – says she has several pieces from the renowned jewellery company that stood her in good stead for her matches.
‘One of the things I was carrying and wearing with me every time in New York and afterwards were some special Tiffany pieces,’ she notes. Pointing out the bangle adorning her arm during her ELLE UK cover shoot, she adds: ‘This is actually the bracelet, and there’s the same in the ring and some pearl earrings as well. I wore [them] at the beginning and they lasted three weeks so since then they've been special and I like to carry them with me.'
During her matches last year the star was regularly seen wearing a bangle, styled with a matching ring and earrings, as well as a large cross pendant and link bracelet.
When it comes to her style off the tennis court, Raducanu admits to taking inspiration from former ELLE UK cover star and Eternals actor Gemma Chan. ‘I think she’s a great role model for me and I just really like the way she looks – [her looks are] always very well put together, but kind of effortless as well,’ she admits.
Since her US Open win, Raducanu has become a red carpet regular, having attended the Met Gala 2021 in New York last September and the James Bond ‘No Time To Die’ premiere in London days later. ‘I loved the Dior dress I wore for the James Bond premiere. With it being in London, which is my home city, it was really special,’ she says.
When she’s not smashing serves from the baseline on court, Raducanu says she enjoys watching Taiwanese shows and loves to keep up-to-date with the latest in motorsports and Formula One.
Dior La Mousse OFF/ON Foaming Cleanser
As for her beauty go-to product, it has to be Dior’s La Mousse Off/On foaming cleanser. ‘It’s a really great cleanser to use, and just wipe off,’ she notes. ‘When I’m practicing and sweating so much it’s great after training to just cleanse my skin and then I feel really refreshed.’
If Raducanu’s recent success and flawless complexion is anything to go by then we’ll be investing in that cleaner, pronto. We’ll see you at the checkout.
Emma Raducanu Style File: Every One Of The Tennis Champion's Best Looks
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
