Look of the Day: Emma Raducanu returns to major stage in varsity blues—and reds

Emma Raducanu was the breakout star of Wimbledon, becoming the youngest British women’s player to reach the fourth round there in the Open Era. The 18-year-old was forced to retire due to breathing difficulties, and left the tournament with an emotional goodbye that won’t likely be forgotten anytime soon.

Luckily, the tennis starlet is back in her Grand Slam form at the US Open, and she’s got the fit to go with it. In her first-round match on Tuesday, Raducanu served up varsity vibes from Nike’s fall 2021 collection. The look was comprised of rich primary colors such as deep reds and blues, paired with a yellow visor. Her top, red with blue trim, included a striped V-neck that gave it a look reminiscent of a sweater vest. The matching skirt was blue with striking red pleats. Nike’s swoosh logo was stamped on the chest against a tiny red, green, blue and yellow tennis court.

The entire kit exuded themes of autumn and the back-to-school season; fitting for the British teen, who’s days of hitting the books and heading to class aren’t far behind her. In this look, Raducanu could easily fit right in at a high school cheerleading practice or at the campus library. Instead, she’s taking names at one of the biggest tennis tournaments of the year.

After storming through the qualifying rounds, Raducanu snagged a 6-2, 6-3 win against Stefanie Voegele to clinch her main-draw debut. Next up: a rematch with Zhang Shuai, who defeated her recently in San Jose. However, this is the major stage. You never know what tricks Raducanu might have up her sleeve…or lack thereof.