The mystery surrounding the enthusiastic Australian Open supporter who coined a new nickname for Emma Raducanu has been solved, culminating in a heartwarming invitation from the British tennis star herself.
The 'Raddo' Cheer That Captivated the Court
During her first-round victory at the Australian Open on Sunday, British number one Emma Raducanu was spurred on by the passionate support of a fan who repeatedly cheered for 'Raddo'. The fan was later identified as Sydneysider James Bray, who became an overnight internet sensation for his vocal backing during Raducanu's 6-4, 6-1 win against Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Margaret Court Arena.
Bray, wearing a green and gold 'Australia' singlet, explained his nickname logic to The Daily Telegraph: "Being an Australian, we like to shorten every possible name we can. So I thought Raducanu to 'Raddo' was pretty smart, maybe not that clever, but it obviously stuck." His support proved crucial as Raducanu recovered from a sluggish start, where she trailed 1-3 and faced two break points, to dominate the match.
Raducanu's Public Plea and a Dream Invitation
Following the match, a delighted Raducanu, who had been managing a foot injury ahead of the tournament, issued a public plea to find the fan. In her post-match interview, she laughed and said, "Thank you to the support... a particular shout-out to 'Raddo', apparently, is my new nickname." She then pointed to Bray in the stands and made a generous offer: "You're invited for every match, just let me know, let my agent know, and you're here!"
True to her word, Bray confirmed on Monday that Raducanu's agent had already contacted him with an invitation to her second-round clash against world number 55, Anastasia Potapova. "I appreciate her shouting me out, that was very generous," Bray said. "It's been quite fun!" He revealed he woke up to around 1,000 messages from friends, family, and people overseas.
A Superfan's Profile and Raducanu's Encouraging Win
James Bray is no stranger to the tennis scene, having been spotted at the United Cup waving an inflatable kangaroo and supporting other Aussie players. He has since updated his Instagram bio to 'Australia's Number One Tennis Fan'. A self-proclaimed 'nickname guy', he also revealed he once dubbed fellow Brit Cameron Norrie the 'NozDog'.
For Raducanu, the 6-4, 6-1 victory marked a positive return to Grand Slam action after an ankle injury disrupted her preparation, seeing her only return to the court in late December. She struck 17 winners past Sawangkaew and embraced her new moniker by signing 'Raddo' on a camera lens after the match. "Never heard that before. Pretty original," she remarked. "I loved the support... it was a good spur of encouragement."
The win was part of a perfect first day for British players, with Cameron Norrie and qualifier Arthur Fery also progressing. Raducanu now has two days to prepare for her next test against Potapova, buoyed by the knowledge she has gained a passionate new supporter for the rest of her Australian Open campaign.
