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British tennis player Emma Raducanu was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on Tuesday, a little more than a year after she shocked the sporting world when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam.
The then-18-year-old Raducanu catapulted her career to new heights when she won 10 matches without dropping a set to claim the US Open title, beating Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the final, and becoming the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977.
Raducanu, 20, was awarded the honour by King Charles for her services to the sport of tennis at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
“It’s been great to receive my honour today from His Majesty the King — I feel extremely grateful,” she said in a statement.
Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith, who collected her honour at the same ceremony, said of Raducanu: “I think it is fantastic seeing a young person [achieve] the success that she had and I think obviously now she faces that incredibly challenging situation of coping with that success and coping also with disappointment.
“And I certainly think it is wonderful to see young people being praised and being rewarded and let’s make sure we give every young person the opportunities so that they can develop their talents to the full.”
Her first full year on Tour was marred by injury and disappointing finishes and she sits ranked 75th in the world.