Tennis star Emma Raducanu fulfills motorsports dreams at Porsche Experience Center

MANILA: Tennis star and Porsche Brand Ambassador Emma Raducanu lived out her motorsports passion at the Porsche Experience Center in Silverstone, England before heading to the US for her upcoming tournaments.

The 19-year-old athlete, who won the US Open in 2021 and became the first-ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam tournament, has been a fan of motorsports and Porsche since childhood. In March 2022, Raducanu became a Porsche Brand Ambassador, allowing her to watch the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain race last May where she met drivers and engineers who gave her insights on the technology and design of the Porsche 911 GT3 units used in the single-brand series.

Raducanu is currently in the 13th spot on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. She became a Member of the Order of the British Empire after conquering the US Open. She is the first and only woman to receive the honor at such a young age.

Raducanu started playing tennis when she was five years old. Only eight days after turning 13 and becoming qualified to participate in U-18 ITF events, she won the Nike Junior International in Liverpool. She thereby becomes the ITF's youngest-ever tournament champion. She entered Wimbledon as the world No. 338 and made it all the way to the last 16. Her remarkable US Open victory marked the pinnacle of her promising career.

Raducanu’s recent visit to the Porsche Experience Center allowed her to fulfill another dream. She drove a Porsche 911 Carrera S on the varying grip levels of the specialist tracks with assistance from a Porsche Driving Consultant. Raducanu was able to experience the capabilities of the 450-ps sports car in wet and dry conditions, as well as on special surfaces that simulate ice and snow driving. Raducanu was unfazed by these changing settings as she has experience in quickly adapting to various playing surfaces while competing on the international WTA Tour.

“I found the track really good. It was a lot of fun for me. The performance of the 911 is obviously strong but the power delivery is progressive, so I was able to build up confidence quickly. Over the laps, you can anticipate the car’s reactions more, and I could get into a rhythm,” Raducanu shared. “It is like playing a tennis match; learning where to push and how to work with the car to get the best results. My instructor Graham gave me lots of good advice. I learned a lot and am already looking forward to coming back.”

She also had an opportunity to race with fellow Porsche Brand Ambassador Mark Webber for a few laps. She initially rode the car as a passenger, with the 2015 World Endurance Champion and nine-time GP champion behind the wheel, then they switched seats, and the two champs swapped tips on driving techniques.

“I have met many top sportspeople and their focus and determination to be the best they can be are always crystal clear. Those qualities were plain to see when Emma drove me in the 911 today, the same grit you see on the tennis court,” Webber stated.

Meanwhile, Raducanu shared, “It was great to meet Mark and get some insight both to winning with Porsche at the top level and his own dedication to personal fitness. I look forward to driving with him again!”

Every purchase of a brand-new Porsche in the UK entitles the customer to the program experienced by Raducanu at the Porsche Experience Center in Silverstone. All nine Porsche Experience Centers around the world offer courses for developing driving skills, under the guidance of a Porsche instructor.

Photos from Porsche

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