Emma Raducanu has been pictured with a new man just a day after the British tennis star lost the HSBC Championships final to Croatia's Donna Vekic. The 23-year-old was photographed enjoying a relaxed afternoon walk through Battersea Park in south-west London on Monday alongside PR executive John Friend, 32.
New Companion After Defeat
The pair were seen sharing laughs as Raducanu flashed a broad smile, fewer than 24 hours after a 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) defeat to Vekic dashed her hopes of a rare title on home soil. Nevertheless, her run to the final marks a significant improvement in form, with Raducanu heading into Wimbledon later this month.
"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," she said afterwards. "It's a good achievement for me and I'm proud of it."
Previous Relationship Rumours
The images emerged after Raducanu previously pushed back against speculation about her love life last year, disclosing how an innocent outing with a male friend had fuelled rumours of a secret relationship. "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.'"
She added: "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."
Parents' Ban on Relationships
Raducanu has previously disclosed that romantic relationships were completely forbidden during her teenage years, with her parents concerned that dating would distract her from her on-court ambitions as she pursued a professional tennis career. "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, who was born in Canada to a Romanian father and Chinese mother, has opened up about the rigorous approach her parents took towards nurturing her tennis career. "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 no-nonsense approach ultimately bore fruit when Raducanu left the sporting world speechless by claiming the US Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier. She went on to scoop that year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, though much of the time since has been blighted by injuries and inconsistent form.
