Emma Raducanu boyfriend ban and rumours that ‘creeped her out’ | Tennis | Sport

Tennis star Emma Raducanu has been spotted cosying up to a new man just a day after agonisingly missing out on a first title since her memorable US Open triumph in 2021. The 23-year-old ace was snapped getting friendly with PR executive John Friend, 32, during a relaxed afternoon stroll through Battersea Park in south-west London on Monday.

“I haven’t really played much this season, but to think I have made two finals so far, which I haven’t done in years, it has to be, in a way, celebrated,” the world number 42 said afterwards. “It’s a good achievement for me and I’m proud of it.”

The photographs come after Raducanu previously hit back at speculation surrounding her love life, revealing how a seemingly innocent outing with a male friends sparked rumours that she had a secret boyfriend. “What did creep me out was I saw a photo of myself in London, and I didn’t see the paps,” she said. “I was like: ‘Come on guys. Come on. Be better. This is not true’.

“I was with my best friend’s brother and we were going to the rugby. Of course, they cropped my best friend out. It was just me and this guy. I just didn’t see the paps. So that’s obviously creepy.” Raducanu has previously revealed that relationships were strictly off-limits during her teenage years, with her parents worried that dating would distract her from matters on the court as she chased a career in the professional game.

“My parents were very much against [boyfriends] as it interfered with training,” she told The Times. “When I was younger, I wasn’t even allowed to hang out with my girlfriends. A lot of the time I was very resentful. But it made me very confident and comfortable in my own company, which is also a big strength.”

Raducanu, born in Canada to a Romanian father and a Chinese mother, has lifted the lid on the strict approach her parents adopted towards her tennis development. “At the start, my dad forced me into tennis,” she said. “I didn’t like it, but then as I got older and tennis became more of a priority, I was pushing myself.

“My parents 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 realise ultimately that the more they push, the more I am going to resist.”

The tough-love approach ultimately paid dividends when Raducanu stunned the sporting world by winning the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier. She would go on to win that year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, although much of the period since has been disrupted by injuries and inconsistent form.