By Matthew Young
Rumours surrounding Emma Raducanu’s love life continue to rumble on following her second round victory at Wimbledon last night. Speculation had been growing about Emma, 22, and former tennis prodigy and long-time friend Ben Heynold, 24. He supported her at Queen鈥檚 Club before Wimbledon and was in her box on Centre Court alongside another female to watch the British number one dismiss former SW19 champion Mark茅ta Vondrou拧ov谩 in straight sets. Emma said afterwards how both those watching on were just ‘close pals’ of hers. Ben, who she met on the tennis circuit aged six, is a student at North Carolina University in the US. After her victory Emma said it had become an annual tradition to have her best pals come and watch her at Wimbledon. She said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 so rad. I have all of them here in one place. They鈥檝e been my rock through everything. They鈥檙e the closest people to me outside of my family. “That was really special. I had the same sort of routine last year. I just really cherish these moments because we know how hard it is week to week playing on the tour. “When we鈥檙e here in this sort of environment feeling at home, it鈥檚 so special. I think it鈥檚 important to take it in. You don鈥檛 know the next day how it鈥檚 going to go.鈥 Asked where the friends were from, she said: 鈥淎 lot of them live in America. They鈥檙e friends from secondary school, childhood. One of them I鈥檝e known since I was six-years-old. Then another one since I was 14. I think it adds more significance because they never really get to come and watch me. We made it an annual thing. “They can come to Wimbledon. It aligns with everyone鈥檚 calendar. It鈥檚 just so special. They鈥檙e in the box there. When I look over to them, it just gives me an extra boost of motivation.鈥 While she said of playing in front of superstars in the Royal Box, which yesterday included rocker Dave Grohl, Olympic legend Tom Daley and Glastonbury star Olivia Rodrigo: 鈥淚t definitely adds a bit of pressure, I guess, if you look up and you kind of recognise. That鈥檚 why I try and stay with my eyes on the court as much as possible. Only after you kind of look up and take it all in, if they鈥檙e still there.鈥