Emma Raducanu makes ‘really freaky’ claim as she is asked about interest in her love life
Emma Raducanu has admitted the constant questions about her private life are bemusing, as she suggested the papparazzi who follow her daily routine at ‘really freaky’
Rumours of a relationship between Raducanu and world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz have flowed in the world’s media in recent weeks, with news that the duo are set to team up in next week’s US Open mixed doubles event fuelling those stories.
Raducanu has made it clear that she is ‘just friends’ with Alcaraz and when asked about the constant interest in her private life by The Guardian, she offered up this response.
“I guess it comes with the territory, people being so curious,” she said.
“I think they’re more curious about this news than any tennis results and tennis news. But I just keep to myself, my private life to one side. It’s always funny when people try to find something out, but I try not to read into it so much.”
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Celebrities of Raducanu’s ilk have to deal with constant media attention and she suggested the persistent attention she gets from paparazzi photographers is a source of annoyance.
“It’s really freaky, because you don’t know they’re there,” she said.
“And then you’ll see a photo of yourself the next day, and you’ll be like: ‘There’s no way they were there.’”
Raducanu has also been forced to deal with stalkers and received unwanted attention since she shot to world fame following her US Open win in 2021, with that issue coming to the fore again as a fan was removed from her match in Dubai after he was deemed to be “exhibiting fixated behaviour”.
She admitted her confidence was shaken by the unwanted attention and has changed the way she goes about her daily routine since then.
“After the Dubai incident, that was probably the worst [public attention] I’ve had,” she added. “I remember straight afterwards, I found it very difficult going out. I definitely had a bit of a leftover lag effect. But I’ve been a lot more astute, a lot more, I’d say, safe and I have someone with me. I don’t really go out on my own as much. No solo walks. Just always having someone watching my back.”
It is a tragedy that Raducanu and other female athletes are subjected to unwanted attention from admirers who are not following them for their sporting excellence.
Grand Slam tennis legend Gordon Reid spoke to Tennis365 about the challenges facing Raducanu, as he admitted her US Open win put her on a platform that has been hard to deal with.
“I think it’s really hard to fathom what she’s experienced since winning the US Open,” Reid told Tennis365.
“It’s something that’s probably at any age it will be difficult to deal with, never mind the age she won it at and all the attention she had on her all of a sudden.
“You feel for her in that way and it has maybe taken her a bit of time to find her feet again and, you know, get comfortable in that spotlight, but she’s been in brilliant form recently and is looking good going into the US Open.
“I think if she hadn’t had that win and at the US Open, then everybody in the country would be talking about how well she is doing, looking at the trajectory she has been on over the last few months.
“But the expectations changed when she won a Slam. There are too many people out there who are too quick to criticise, but I think she will be confident going into the US Open and it will be great to see how well she can do.”
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