Emma Raducanu has the edge – I’ll be rooting for her all the way

IT’S 53 years since I won the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York and I’ve been proud to hold the British record of the three Grand Slam titles for so long.

But I think Emma Raducanu is a superstar and I’d be thrilled if she took over that place in tennis history. I’ll be rooting for her all the way tonight.

I give her a slight edge against Leylah Fernandez.

Although only 18, Emma has extra physical powers other players don’t seem to know how to handle.

I never thought her problems at Wimbledon were such a big deal but it did alert her to the need to get herself much fitter.

Now she is a magnificent athlete.

She has a stride where she can cover the court so effectively.

She bends to the ball and gets under it so well.

Like me, she may find Wimbledon the hardest nut to crack because you want it so badly but I cannot see any reason why she won’t be holding up the Wimbledon singles trophy one day

She’d be the first British woman to do so since me in 1977.

I’d be delighted for her.