Emma Raducanu: The Life Story Behind Britain's Tennis Star

Emma Raducanu is the author of the greatest fairy tale in modern tennis, a teenager from Bromley who won the US Open in 2021, as a qualifier, without dropping a set, the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam, and one of the most extraordinary achievements in the history of the sport. She was eighteen, she was ranked one hundred and fiftieth in the world, and she played ten matches in three weeks, and she won them all, and she became a star overnight, and a hero in Britain, and she has been living with the consequences ever since.

Born on 13 November 2002 in Toronto, Canada, Raducanu moved to London when she was two, and she grew up in Bromley, where her father Ian, who is Romanian, and her mother Renee, who is Chinese, raised her, and she became a star as a teenager, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2021, and then winning the US Open, two months later. This is the story of Britain’s tennis star.

Toronto, Bromley, and a Girl with a Dream

Raducanu was born in Toronto, and she moved to London when she was two, and she grew up in Bromley, in south-east London, where she played tennis at the local centre, and she was a bright, talented child, who also loved horse riding, swimming, and go-karting, and who was good at everything she tried, but tennis was her love, and she was better at it than anything else.

She was coached by her parents, and by the LTA, the Lawn Tennis Association, and she trained at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, and she became the best young player in Britain, winning junior titles, and dreaming of Wimbledon, and she was a student too, passing her A-levels in 2021, in the same summer that she became a star, a balance that showed her intelligence, and her discipline.

At Bromley Tennis Centre, where Emma Raducanu played from 2000s, she showed the world what she could do, with performances that were consistent, brave, and brilliant, and Bromley Tennis Centre gave her the stage, and Emma Raducanu gave the club the memories, a partnership that worked, for both sides, and one that defined a chapter, of her career, and theirs. She learned the game in Bromley, in south-east London, playing tennis from a young age. It was at Bromley Tennis Centre that Emma Raducanu became the player the world would come to know, and Bromley Tennis Centre played its part, in making her.

The Rise: Wimbledon, the Qualifier, and the Fairy Tale

Raducanu’s rise came at Wimbledon in 2021, when she reached the fourth round, as a wild card, at eighteen, beating higher-ranked players, and capturing the imagination of the British public, before retiring in her fourth-round match, with breathing difficulties, a scary moment, that she handled with maturity, and that made her a star, even in defeat.

The rise continued two months later, at the US Open, when she came through qualifying, winning three matches, and then she won seven more, in the main draw, without dropping a set, beating Leylah Fernandez in the final, and becoming the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam, and the first British woman to win a Slam since Virginia Wade in 1977. She was eighteen, and she was a champion, and the whole world was watching, because no one had ever done what she had done.

The move to LTA National Tennis Centre in 2010s was a turning point for Emma Raducanu, because it put her in a team that played to her strengths, and a league in UK that tested her, every week, and Emma Raducanu rose to that test, proving that she belonged, at the highest level, and that she was ready, for whatever came next, at LTA National Tennis Centre and beyond. She trained at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, as part of the LTA programme. The time at LTA National Tennis Centre shaped Emma Raducanu as a player, and as a person, and it is a period Emma Raducanu still looks back on, with pride, and with gratitude.

Playing for Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team from 2021– taught Emma Raducanu lessons that no training ground could teach, about winning, about losing, and about standing up, when the pressure was greatest, and Emma Raducanu carried those lessons with her, into every match, that followed, in her long, and remarkable, career. She has represented Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup, leading the team on the world stage. Those years at Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team remain a proud chapter in the story of Emma Raducanu, and in the history of Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team itself.

The Peak: The US Open, the Top Ten, and the Star

Raducanu’s peak came at the US Open in 2021, when she won the title, without dropping a set, in ten matches, the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam, and the youngest British Grand Slam champion in the modern era. She beat Leylah Fernandez in the final, in straight sets, in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, and she did it with a calm that was remarkable, for an eighteen-year-old, on the biggest stage, in the biggest city, in the world.

She reached world number ten in 2022, the highest ranking of her career, and she became one of the most famous athletes in Britain, winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 2021, and being made an MBE in 2022, for services to tennis, and she was a star, and a hero, and a role model, for a generation of young British players, who now dream of following in her footsteps.

She has also represented Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup, and she is one of the most popular players on tour, a woman who is loved for her smile, her intelligence, and her story, and she is still in her early twenties, with time to win more, and to build on the fairy tale, that made her famous.

Emma Raducanu went into the US Open in 2021 with expectation on her shoulders, and Emma Raducanu carried it, with a calm that impressed everyone, and a quality that decided matches, when they mattered most. She won the title as a qualifier, without dropping a set, the first ever to do so. It was a performance that Emma Raducanu earned, and one that showed the world, exactly what Emma Raducanu could do.

The Wimbledon in 2021 was one of the defining tournaments of the career of Emma Raducanu, because the whole world was watching, and Emma Raducanu showed, that she could perform, on the biggest stage, against the best, in her sport. She reached the fourth round as a wild card, at eighteen, before retiring with breathing difficulties. The Wimbledon of 2021 added another chapter to the story of Emma Raducanu, and it is one that her fans, will never forget.

Season after season, Emma Raducanu did the same thing, she turned up, she worked, and she delivered, and that consistency is the hardest thing in sport, because talent fades, form dips, and injuries come, but Emma Raducanu kept coming back, kept scoring, kept winning, and kept proving, that she belonged, among the best, for longer, than almost anyone, in her generation.

Tennis is the loneliest sport in the world, and Emma Raducanu knows it, because there is no team, to hide behind, and no substitute, to save you, and Emma Raducanu played it at the highest level, on courts, watched by millions, in UK and everywhere, and that pressure is something, that only the best, can handle, and Emma Raducanu handled it, for years, in UK and around the world.

Great Britain: The Flag, the Cup, and the Hero

For Great Britain, Raducanu is a hero and a legend, the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977, and the first qualifier ever to win a Slam, in the history of the sport. She has represented Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup, and she has carried the flag for her country, and she is loved in London and across the UK, because she gave British tennis its greatest moment in decades, and she did it as a teenager, with a smile, and a calm that made her a role model.

She has also inspired a generation of young British players, who now dream of following in her footsteps, and of playing on the biggest stages in the world, and she is the face of British tennis, a woman who is respected around the world for her story, her intelligence, and her sportsmanship, because she is humble, and she handles fame with a grace that belies her age.

At the Wimbledon in 2024, Emma Raducanu proved, once again, that she was a player for the big occasion, delivering when the pressure was highest, and the stakes were greatest, in front of millions, around the world. She reached the fourth round, her best result at Wimbledon since her breakthrough. That tournament is still talked about, when fans remember the best of Emma Raducanu, and the best of her sport.

The Billie Jean King Cup of 2022 remains a vivid memory for the fans of Emma Raducanu, because it was a tournament where Emma Raducanu played with a freedom, a bravery, and a skill, that made everyone take notice, of what she could do. She represented Great Britain, winning matches for her country on the world stage. It was a performance that Emma Raducanu earned, and one that showed the world, exactly what Emma Raducanu could do.

Emma Raducanu went into the Korea Open in 2022 with expectation on her shoulders, and Emma Raducanu carried it, with a calm that impressed everyone, and a quality that decided matches, when they mattered most. She reached the semi-final in Seoul, her best result after the US Open triumph. The Korea Open of 2022 added another chapter to the story of Emma Raducanu, and it is one that her fans, will never forget.

The Return, the Backhand, and the Art of the Fairy Tale

Raducanu’s game is built on her return and her backhand. She is one of the best returners in the women’s game, able to get almost any serve back, and she has a two-handed backhand that is among the best, a shot she can hit cross-court, down the line, and with power that few can match. She is also a superb mover, covering the court with speed, and getting to balls that should be winners, and she plays with a calm that is remarkable, for a player so young.

What makes her special is her intelligence and her composure. She is a bright student, who passed her A-levels in the summer she became a star, and she thinks about the game, she studies her opponents, and she stays calm under pressure, and that intelligence is her greatest weapon, because it makes her impossible to rattle, and it is why she won the US Open, without dropping a set, as a qualifier, at eighteen.

In 2021, Emma Raducanu won the US Open championship as a champion, beating Leylah Fernandez in the final, the first qualifier ever to win a Slam. When Emma Raducanu won the US Open championship in 2021, it was the reward for everything she had given to the game, the training, the sacrifice, and the belief, and it showed the world, in UK and everywhere, that Emma Raducanu was not just a talented player, but a winner, who could deliver, when it mattered most. It was a win that Emma Raducanu earned, and one that no one can ever take away from Emma Raducanu.

In 2022, Emma Raducanu won the World No. 10 ranking as the highest-ranked British woman, reaching the top ten in the world. The World No. 10 ranking of 2022 stands out in the career of Emma Raducanu, because it was won against the best, in the biggest arena, and it took everything Emma Raducanu had, to win it, and the victory made her a hero, at home, and a star, around the world. The World No. 10 ranking of 2022 is the kind of triumph that defines a career, and Emma Raducanu earned it, with years of work, and a performance, that will be remembered.

In 2021, Emma Raducanu won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year as the winner, voted by the British public after her US Open triumph. Emma Raducanu still talks about the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2021 as one of the great days of her life, because the whole team, the whole country, and the whole sport, were watching, and Emma Raducanu delivered, with a performance that was calm, brave, and brilliant, when the pressure was greatest. That BBC Sports Personality of the Year remains a landmark in the story of Emma Raducanu, and in the history of UK sport.

The Injuries, the Surgeries, and the Pressure

Raducanu’s career has had real setbacks, since the US Open triumph. She has struggled with injuries, including blisters, back problems, and wrist and ankle problems, and in 2023, she had surgery on both wrists and on her ankle, and she missed most of the season, a difficult period, because she was only twenty, and she had already been a champion, and she had to start again, from the beginning.

There has also been pressure, because the fame came so fast, and the expectations were so high, and she changed coaches several times, searching for the right team, and critics said she would never win again, and that the US Open was a fluke. She came back in 2024, playing in Auckland, and she has been rebuilding her career, slowly and steadily, because she believes she can win again, and she has the game to do it, and the time is on her side.

The numbers tell their own story, for Emma Raducanu. She was the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, at the US Open in 2021. She won the US Open in 2021 without dropping a set, in ten matches, as an eighteen-year-old qualifier. She was the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977. She reached world number ten in 2022, the highest ranking of her career, at nineteen. She won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2021, and she was made an MBE in 2022.

The record book tells the story of Emma Raducanu better than any speech could, because every number in it was earned, in competition, under pressure, and against opponents, who were trying, just as hard, to stop Emma Raducanu, and that is why the numbers, will last.

Britain’s Fairy Tale, the Champion, and the Future

Raducanu is widely regarded as the author of the greatest fairy tale in modern tennis, and one of the most famous British athletes of her generation. She won the US Open as a qualifier, without dropping a set, the first ever to do so, and she reached world number ten, and she won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and she was made an MBE, and she did it all before her twentieth birthday, and she is still in her early twenties, with time to win more.

Her legacy is still being written, because she is young and she has many years ahead of her, but the early chapters are already extraordinary. She is Britain’s tennis star, the qualifier who won a Grand Slam, and the teenager who shocked the world, and young players still study her story, and they learn that anything is possible, even winning a Grand Slam as a qualifier, at eighteen, without dropping a set, and that is a lesson that will last forever.

In 2022, Emma Raducanu won the MBE as a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to tennis. Winning the MBE in 2022 changed the career of Emma Raducanu, because it turned promise into proof, and talent into titles, and it gave Emma Raducanu the confidence, to believe that she could win, again, and again, at the highest level, of her sport. It was a win that Emma Raducanu earned, and one that no one can ever take away from Emma Raducanu.

In 2021, Emma Raducanu won the Wimbledon fourth round as a wild card, reaching the fourth round at eighteen and capturing the public imagination. The Wimbledon fourth round in 2021 was a triumph that Emma Raducanu will never forget, because it came after years of work, and it proved that Emma Raducanu belonged, among the best, in her sport, and the medal, the trophy, and the memory, remain among the proudest, of her whole career. The Wimbledon fourth round of 2021 is the kind of triumph that defines a career, and Emma Raducanu earned it, with years of work, and a performance, that will be remembered.

In 2021, Emma Raducanu won the WTA Newcomer of the Year as the winner, recognised as the best new player on the tour after her US Open triumph. When Emma Raducanu won the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2021, it was the reward for everything she had given to the game, the training, the sacrifice, and the belief, and it showed the world, in UK and everywhere, that Emma Raducanu was not just a talented player, but a winner, who could deliver, when it mattered most. That WTA Newcomer of the Year remains a landmark in the story of Emma Raducanu, and in the history of UK sport.

Beyond the headline triumphs, there were more, because Emma Raducanu also won the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2021; the Billie Jean King Cup in 2021; the ITF titles in 2019, honours that are easy to overlook, beside the biggest titles, but ones that show the depth, and the consistency, of the career of Emma Raducanu, year after year, tournament after tournament, at the highest level.

Count the honours, and the scale of the career of Emma Raducanu becomes clear, because the list runs to 8 major titles, medals, and awards, each one earned, in competition, against the best, in UK and the world, and each one a chapter, in a story, that few players, in any sport, can match, for length, for quality, and for consistency, over so many years, and among them, the US Open championship in 2021 stands tall, for Emma Raducanu and for UK.

The journey of Emma Raducanu took her from Bromley Tennis Centre to Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team, with stops at LTA National Tennis Centre, along the way, and each stop taught Emma Raducanu something new, about the game, about herself, and about winning, at the highest level, in UK and around the world, a journey that made her the player, and the person, she is today.

My Take:

I want to be honest about Emma Raducanu, about what was great, and about what was not, because that is the only way, to understand, a career, like her.

What I admire most about Raducanu is the fairy tale, because no one had ever won a Grand Slam as a qualifier, and she did it at eighteen, without dropping a set, in ten matches, in three weeks, and that is not luck, it is greatness. She beat everyone, she stayed calm, and she won the title, and that is the most extraordinary achievement in modern tennis, and it will never be forgotten, because it was the first, and it may be the last.

The US Open final in 2021 is the moment that defines her, because she beat Leylah Fernandez in straight sets, in front of a packed stadium, and she became a champion, and a hero, and a star, overnight. That is pressure, and she handled it with a calm that belied her age, and the smile when she won is one of the great images in British sport, and it is why she is loved.

I also think Raducanu is underrated as a person, because she passed her A-levels in the summer she became a star, and she handles fame with a grace that is remarkable, for someone so young. She is not just a tennis player, she is a bright, intelligent young woman, and that depth is why fans love her, because she is real, and she is humble, and she is honest about her struggles.

If I have a criticism, it is only the injuries, because she has missed so much tennis, and she had surgery on both wrists and her ankle, and those absences have cost her ranking points, and momentum. But she is still young, and she has the game to win again, and the time is on her side, and I believe she will, because the talent is real, and the fairy tale is not finished.

When I think about the US Open final in 2021, I think about what it teaches, because Raducanu beat Leylah Fernandez in straight sets, winning the title as a qualifier, without dropping a set, the first ever to do so, and she did it at eighteen, in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, in one of the great moments in tennis history. And that is the lesson, that talent opens the door, but character walks through it, and Emma Raducanu walked through it, again and again, in her career.

The moment I keep coming back to is the Wimbledon run in 2021, because Raducanu reached the fourth round as a wild card, at eighteen, capturing the imagination of the British public, before retiring with breathing difficulties, a scary moment, that she handled with maturity. It is the kind of moment that stays with you, long after the match is over, and it is why Emma Raducanu matters, not just as a player, but as an example, for anyone, who wants to be great.

Take the qualifying run at the US Open, 2021, and look at it closely, because Raducanu won three matches in qualifying, and then seven more in the main draw, ten matches in three weeks, without dropping a set, a run that no one had ever achieved, and one that made her a star. That is not luck, it is preparation, meeting opportunity, and Emma Raducanu was prepared, because she had done the work, for years, before that moment, ever arrived.

I will never forget the comeback in Auckland, 2024, because Raducanu returned to the tour after surgery on both wrists and her ankle, playing in Auckland, and beginning the long road back, a comeback that showed her character, and her belief. Moments like that are why sport matters, and why Emma Raducanu will be remembered, long after the final whistle, of her final match, has blown.

Look at the record, and look at what it means, because She was the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, at the US Open in 2021. That is not a number on a page, it is a career, in miniature, and it is why Emma Raducanu belongs, among the greats, of her sport.

The numbers say it plainly, because She won the US Open in 2021 without dropping a set, in ten matches, as an eighteen-year-old qualifier. And numbers do not lie, they do not flatter, and they do not forget, and that is why the record of Emma Raducanu will stand, for years, to come.

One record, more than any other, sums up Emma Raducanu, because She was the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977. It is the kind of achievement that takes a whole career, to earn, and a whole lifetime, to appreciate, and Emma Raducanu earned it, the hard way.

Look at the record, and look at what it means, because She reached world number ten in 2022, the highest ranking of her career, at nineteen. That is not a number on a page, it is a career, in miniature, and it is why Emma Raducanu belongs, among the greats, of her sport.

The lesson of Emma Raducanu is a lesson for every young tennis player in UK, because she proved that work, talent, and belief, win Grand Slams, and that a child, from anywhere, can become a champion, if she is willing, to do the work, that others will not do, and to keep going, when others stop.

The fans of Emma Raducanu will tell you, that she was more than a player, because she gave them memories, that they will carry, for the rest of their lives, and that is the true measure, of a tennis player, not the trophies, but the joy, she gave, to the people, who watched her play.

If you want to understand Emma Raducanu, start with the numbers, because she won 8 major honours, she played for 3 clubs or teams, and she set 5 records, that are listed, in her story, and those numbers were not given to her, they were earned, in competition, against the best, in the world, over many years, and that is why they matter, because they are the proof, of a career, that was built, on work, on talent, and on a refusal, to accept, anything less, than the best.

The future is still open for Emma Raducanu, because her story is not finished, and the next chapter, whatever it holds, will be watched, by millions, in UK and around the world, who want to see, what she does next, and whether she can add, to a career, that is already, one of the greats, of her sport, and that is the mark, of a true star, that people care, about what happens next, long after, the biggest triumphs, are already, in the past.

I often wonder, what Emma Raducanu would say, to a young player, starting out today, in UK, and I think she would say, work hard, believe in yourself, and never stop learning, because that is what she did, from her first day, to her last, and it is the simplest advice, and the hardest, to follow, and it is the reason, she became, one of the best, in the world.

The US Open championship in 2021 was not the end, of the story of Emma Raducanu, it was the beginning, of the next chapter, because after that triumph, she was no longer, a hopeful, she was a champion, and champions are judged, differently, and she knew it, and she rose, to that judgement, again and again, in UK and around the world, for the rest, of her career.

What I respect, about Emma Raducanu, is that she never took the easy road, because she could have stayed, where she was comfortable, and she chose, to test herself, against the best, in the biggest matches, and that choice, is what separates, the good from the great, and it is why, her name, is remembered, by fans, in every country, where her sport, is played.

When the history of UK sport is written, the name of Emma Raducanu will be, in the first chapter, because she changed, what people believed, was possible, and she showed, a whole generation, that a girl from their streets, could become, a champion of the world, and that belief, is worth, more than any trophy, in any cabinet.

I have no doubt, that Emma Raducanu will be remembered, not just for the US Open championship in 2021, but for the way, she carried herself, on and off the field, because she was humble, in victory, and gracious, in defeat, and she treated people, with respect, and that is the kind of greatness, that lasts, long after, the last match, has been played.

The best thing, about watching Emma Raducanu, was that you never knew, what she would do next, because she could surprise you, in any moment, with a piece of skill, that no one expected, and that unpredictability, is what made her, so exciting, to watch, and so hard, to play against, and it is why, fans in UK, still talk about her, today.

I have watched Emma Raducanu for years, and the thing that strikes me, every time, is the intelligence, because she reads the game, two moves ahead, and she is already, where the ball will be, before anyone else, has even moved, and that anticipation is not luck, it is study, and it is why Emma Raducanu was so hard, to play against, in UK and around the world, for so many years.

If I could tell a young player one thing, about Emma Raducanu, it would be this, watch how she trains, because the matches are the reward, but the training is the work, and Emma Raducanu trained, like every session mattered, like every drill, was a final, and that attitude is the reason, that she lasted, at the top, for so long, and won, the US Open championship in 2021, and so much more, besides.

People talk about the talent of Emma Raducanu, and they are right to, because the talent was obvious, from the first time, anyone saw her play, but talent is only the start, and what made Emma Raducanu great, was the work, that came after, the hours, the repetition, and the refusal, to be satisfied, with being good, when she could be, the best, in the world.

There is a moment, in every great career, when the player realises, that she belongs, and for Emma Raducanu, that moment changed everything, because from then on, she did not hope, to win, she expected to, and that expectation, carried her, through the hardest matches, of her career, in UK and around the world, and it is why, she won, again and again.

I think the most underrated part of Emma Raducanu is her character, because she handled success, without arrogance, and defeat, without excuses, and that balance is rare, in a world, that rewards noise, and Emma Raducanu was quiet, in victory, and gracious, in defeat, and that is why, she is respected, by everyone, who played, with her, or against her, at Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team.

The fans in UK love Emma Raducanu, and it is easy to see why, because she gave them, something to believe in, and she never, let them down, and when she played, the whole country, stopped, to watch, and that connection, between a player, and her people, is the most powerful thing, in sport, and Emma Raducanu had it, in full, for her whole career.

What I would say to anyone, who doubts Emma Raducanu, is simple, look at the record, because the US Open championship in 2021 is there, and the other honours, are there, and they were not given, they were earned, in the hardest, arenas, in the world, against the best, opponents, in the world, and that is the answer, to every doubt, that anyone, could ever raise.

The beauty of watching Emma Raducanu was the simplicity, because she made the hardest things, look easy, and the easiest things, look perfect, and that is the mark, of a master, in any sport, and it is why, young players, in UK, still copy, the way she moved, the way she thought, and the way, she played, the game.

I have seen many great players, and Emma Raducanu belongs, with the very best, because she did it, for longer, and under more pressure, than most, and she did it, with a smile, and a humility, that made her, easy to admire, and hard, to dislike, and that is a combination, that few athletes, in any era, have ever managed, to achieve.

If Emma Raducanu had never won another title, after the US Open championship in 2021, her career, would still matter, because of the way, she played, and the way, she carried herself, and the example, she set, for the next generation, in UK and around the world, and that is the true measure, of a great athlete, not the count, of the trophies, but the size, of the example.

In the end, the story of Emma Raducanu is a story about a girl from UK, who worked, who believed, and who became, one of the best, in the world, and that story will be told, for generations, by fans, who saw her play, and by young players, who want, to follow her.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Emma Raducanu born?

Emma Raducanu was born on 13 November 2002 in Toronto, Canada. She moved to London when she was two, and she grew up in Bromley, where her father Ian, who is Romanian, and her mother Renee, who is Chinese, raised her.

How did Emma Raducanu win the US Open?

Raducanu won the US Open in 2021 as a qualifier, winning three matches in qualifying and seven in the main draw, without dropping a set. She beat Leylah Fernandez in the final, the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam.

What is Emma Raducanu’s best ranking?

Raducanu reached world number ten in 2022, the highest ranking of her career, at nineteen. She won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2021, and she was made an MBE in 2022.

Why did Emma Raducanu miss most of 2023?

Raducanu had surgery on both wrists and on her ankle in 2023, and she missed most of the season recovering. She returned to the tour in 2024, playing in Auckland, and she has been rebuilding her career since.

Did Emma Raducanu win Wimbledon?

No, Raducanu has not won Wimbledon, though she reached the fourth round in 2021 as a wild card, at eighteen, and again in 2024. Her Grand Slam title came at the US Open, in 2021, as a qualifier.