Emma Raducanu recently revealed that she felt like Disney character Hannah Montana while rapidly changing her outfit in a car after the 2022 Investiture Ceremony.
The 20-year-old was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to tennis, particularly her US Open triumph in 2021. As per protocol, she received her award from King Charles himself, during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle last November.
In a recent conversation with the WTA website, Raducanu mentioned how she is still awed that she is an MBE recipient.
“To get my MBE and receive it from His Majesty the King, that’s pretty insane, I’m never going to forget that,” Raducanu told wtatennis.com.
She then revealed how she had to quickly shift from her black Dior gown – which she wore to the Investiture Ceremony – to her tennis outfit as she had a training session at the National Tennis Centre.
According to the 20-year-old, this series of events made her feel like the fictional character Hannah Montana, who had to change outfits often due to her double life.
“But also I went straight from Windsor Castle to the National Tennis Centre, it was pretty insane. Like 10:00 a.m. I was in a full Dior gown with heels at Windsor Castle and then I changed in the car on the way to the National Tennis Centre,” Raducanu revealed.
During the interview, Emma Raducanu acknowledged that she felt her first full season on tour to be “very hectic.”
“I definitely found it very hectic, how intense the tour was, and full on,” she said.
Explaining how tour life gives you no time to breathe, the Brit pointed out that the fast-paced environment took a toll on her body.
“A lot of the time you don’t feel ready for the match or the tournament and you still have to keep going. It’s just nonstop, there’s no real breaks in it. I found that hard to keep going. As every tournament was taking a little bit more out of my body, one thing I struggled with was dealing with injuries,” she revealed.
As such, the former US Open champion feels that staying “healthy for longer” should be her main goal in 2023.
“So for 2023 my goal is to stay healthy for longer. I’m looking forward to working hard because I’ve got a better idea of what to expect now. So I’ll be less like a deer in the headlights,” Raducanu stated.
Besides staying healthy, the 20-year-old wants to win a title in 2023 and also play “fearless tennis.”
“For a results goal I’d say it’s to win a title, and three I’d say is to be playing fearless tennis. Just not thinking about consequences. Just going for it. That’s my goal for this year,” the Brit concluded.
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