Emma Raducanu has revealed she was banned from having boyfriends as a youngster, with the tennis star opening up on her career ahead of the French Open.
The 21-year-old soared to prominence back in 2021 when she won the US Open, defying the odds in the process.
Ever since, however, Raducanu has had to contend with injury issues that have prevented her from kicking on.
The tennis star won't be playing at this year's French Open, with the one-time major winner focused on being fit for Wimbledon later in the summer instead.
Emma Raducanu has revealed she was banned from having boyfriends as a youngster
GETTY
And Raducanu has now opened up on her career so far, revealing her 'pushy' parents played a major role.
"At the start my dad forced me into tennis," she told The Times.
"I didn’t like it, but then as I got older and tennis became more of a priority, I was pushing myself.
"[My parents] are so pushy. When I was younger more so.
"Now they are at a place where they tell me what they think is best, but they realise ultimately that the more they push the more I am going to resist.
"I’ve seen some great people who I was playing with in the juniors who had way more lenient parents who were like, 'It’s OK if you lost', and those players don’t play tennis anymore, so I don’t blame my parents for it."
Raducanu then proceeded to reveal that, during her younger years, she was banned from having boyfriends.
She even admits it made her 'resentful', though believes there were positives to take from her childhood as well.
"My parents were very much against [boyfriends] as it interfered with training," she continued.
"When I was younger I wasn’t even allowed to hang out with my girlfriends.
"A lot of the time I was very resentful.
"But it made me very confident and comfortable in my own company, which is also a big strength."
With Raducanu struggling over the past couple of years, some fans have suggested her heart isn't in it.
Winning the US Open at 18 was a huge achievement, one that already puts her in an elite club.
Yet Raducanu has now hit back at her critics by reaffirming her desire to become one of the best tennis players in the world.
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Emma Raducanu soared into the spotlight when she won the US Open back in 2021
GETTY
“There are those who see me doing a shoot or posing for a commercial and they don’t see the seven hours before that at the training centre, doing physio, gym, hitting balls," she blasted.
"But if on a rare evening I go to a premiere and I get photographed, that’s my downtime.”
Many other 21 year olds are at university of working.
They get to live normal lives away from the spotlight, however.
Yet Raducanu, while admitting she can sometimes get jealous of that normality, wouldn't change it.
Emma Raducanu will be hoping to play at Wimbledon this year after choosing to skip the French Open
PA
“I do, but the rewards I am getting at this point are a lot greater than the best they can get," she admitted.
“My career in tennis is probably finished in 10 years, so I have got to maximise. It’s a sacrifice worth making.”
