US Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu has capped an extraordinary 2021 by being named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.
Raducanu, 19, completed a fairytale in New York in September as she became the first qualifier ever to win a grand slam tournament.
She also became the first British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977 to win a grand slam, and claimed the title without dropping a set.
Her achievements have made her one of sport’s biggest stars, and she claimed the prestigious BBC prize ahead of Olympic gold medallists Tom Daley and Adam Peaty.
“It’s such an honour just to be among these nominees – to win it is pretty amazing," Raducanu told the BBC.
“I watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up, so I’m really humbled to join the amazing past winners. I’m also really happy for British tennis that we managed to get this award again.
“All the support I’ve received this past year has been absolutely insane, and the energy I felt at Wimbledon this year playing in front of my home crowd is something I’ve never felt before.”
Tyson Fury, Raheem Sterling and Dame Sarah Storey were the other three shortlisted for the award, with Sir Lewis Hamilton, who came so close to winning a record eighth Formula One title this month, omitted.
Emma Raducanu’s rapid rise to sporting stardom
2018
Reaches the quarter-finals of two junior grand slams, at Wimbledon and the US Open. Turns professional, and wins her first two ITF titles at tournaments in Tel Aviv and Antalya. Finishes the year with a world ranking of 692.
2019
Reaches two more ITF finals, winning her third title at the event in Pune, India. Continues to edge up the world rankings with a year-ending mark of 503.
2020
Reaches the final of ITF World Tennis Tour tournament in Sunderland, and sees her ranking improve to 343 at the end of the year.
June 2021
Loses to compatriot Harriet Dart in her main WTA debut in Nottingham, but reaches the quarter-final of a lower-level tournament at the same venue the following week, where she pushed former Wimbledon semi-finalist Tsvetana Pironkova.
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Emma Raducanu of Great Britain poses with the championship trophy after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada to win the 2021 women's US Open. AFP -
Emma Raducanu, of Britain, poses outside Arthur Ashe Stadium with the championship trophy. AP Photo -
Leylah Fernandez of Canada reacts after winning a point against Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Reuters -
Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. Getty Images -
Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada celebrates with the runner-up trophy. AFP -
The bloodied knee of Britain's Emma Raducanu is seen as she celebrates after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP -
Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP -
Britain's Emma Raducanu hugs Canada's Leylah Fernandez after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy and ball kids after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP -
Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada holds the runner-up trophy as Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy alongside Billie Jean King, Stacey Allaster, USTA Chief Executive, and USTA President Mike McNulty. AFP -
Fans watch British teenager Emma Raducanu compete with Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the US Open final at The Parklangley Club, in Beckenham, England. AP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP -
Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada holds the runner-up trophy as Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrate. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain returns the ball against Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP -
Suzanne Williams, Strength and Conditioning coach for Emma Raducanu aged 8-12, watches the US Open tennis match remotely at the Parklangley Club in Beckenham, England, as she celebrates Raducanu winning. PA -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates winning championship point to defeat Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP -
Leylah Fernandez of Canada hits a backhand against Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Reuters -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with fans. EPA -
Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates with the trophy. AFP -
Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reacts after defeating Lelyah Fernandez of Canada to win the US Open final. EPA
July 2021
Handed a Wimbledon wild card, making history by beating Vitalia Diatchenko, Marketa Vondrousova and Sorana Cirstea to become the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round in the Open era. Forced to retire during her match against Ajla Tomljanovic due to breathing difficulties.
August 2021
Reaches the final of the WTA 125 tournament in Chicago, losing to Canada’s Clara Tauson but rising to 150 in the world rankings.
August-September 2021
Fights through three qualifying matches to make the main draw of the US Open. Proceeds to beat Stefanie Voegele, Zhang Shuai, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Shelby Rogers, Belinda Bencic, Maria Sakkari and Leylah Fernandez, all without dropping a set, to become the first qualifier to win a grand slam in the Open era and guarantee a top 50 world ranking. Less than a fortnight later, she split from coach Andrew Richardson.
October 2021
Loses second-round battle with Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Indian Wells on her return to the court before pulling out of the Kremlin Cup, citing a “tournament schedule change”. Later in October, the Briton bowed out of the Transylvania Open at the quarter-final stage after defeat to Marta Kostyuk.
November 2021
Stellar season comes to a disappointing end after losing to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu at the Austria Ladies Linz on the day she revealed her new coach was Torben Beltz, best known as the long-time mentor of three-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber.
December 2021
Raducanu was voted the WTA Newcomer of the Year after her history-making 2021 season. She then tested positive for coronavirus and was isolating in a hotel room when the Sports Personality ceremony took place. She tested positive in Abu Dhabi, where she was due to take part in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
