Emma Raducanu has expressed her joy over the recent success of fellow British athletes Jack Draper and Lando Norris, celebrating their achievements in tennis and Formula 1, respectively. Draper clinched the Indian Wells title, while Norris secured his first race win of the 2025 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Raducanu is gearing up for the Miami Open as she looks to turn her season around.
The 22-year-old, set to face world No. 188 Sayaka Ishii in her opening match in Miami, was thrilled to discuss Draper’s triumph. “Yeah, of course, I was so happy for him,” she told Sky Sports. “He is someone I’ve known since we were kids. We grew up together, so I know how much work he has put in and how much he deserves it. I’m just really happy and rooting for him.”
On the same day Draper claimed victory, Norris delivered a stellar performance to edge out Max Verstappen and claim the Australian Grand Prix win. Although Raducanu couldn’t watch the race live due to training commitments, she made sure to catch the highlights. “Honestly, I was training all day, so I didn’t watch,” she admitted. “But I did watch the highlights, and I’m really happy for him. Before Indian Wells, I actually said I wanted him to win, so I’m glad Lando got the victory.”
Before her recent loss to Moyuka Uchijima in California, Raducanu had predicted Verstappen would take the F1 title, but she remains a strong supporter of Norris as the season unfolds.
British No. 1 Katie Boulter echoed Raducanu’s sentiments and wasn’t surprised by Draper’s breakthrough victory over Holger Rune to claim his first ATP Masters title.
“Breaking into the top 10 for the first time—what a special moment for him,” Boulter said of the new world No. 7. “He has actually been working with my fitness trainer, so we’ve been hearing a lot about how he’s been getting on. Of course, we watched the final, and what an achievement. He’s incredibly hardworking, and it’s great to see the results pay off.”
Boulter even revealed that she had a strong feeling Draper’s success was coming. “I hate to say this out loud, but I actually called it,” she admitted. “Maybe not from the start of the tournament, but with my team, I felt like he had been building up to this moment. The last few tournaments, he’s been playing so well, and it was just a matter of time before his body allowed him to back up these weeks. I think very highly of him, so I’m not surprised.”
