Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is set to make her debut at the Berlin Open, a WTA 500 event from June 16-22, 2025, marking her first non-British grass-court tournament. The 22-year-old British star, who has been awarded a wildcard into the prestigious German event, is intensifying her grass-court preparations ahead of Wimbledon, where she has twice reached the fourth round. “I’m excited to return to competitive tennis and test myself on grass in Berlin,” Raducanu said, signaling her eagerness to compete against a stacked field led by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and featuring nine of the top 10 players. This bold move comes after a challenging 2025 season marred by injuries and inconsistent results, yet her recent performances hint at a resurgence that could ignite her Wimbledon campaign.
Raducanu’s 2025 began with promise at the Australian Open, where she defeated 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and Amanda Anisimova to reach the third round, her best showing at the event. However, a straight-sets loss to Iga Świątek halted her progress, and subsequent first-round exits in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar—culminating in a career-worst four-match losing streak—tested her resilience. “I’m really proud of my performance,” she said after a strong clay-court showing in Rome, where she won three consecutive matches for the first time before falling to Coco Gauff. Her clay season, which included a quarterfinal run in Stuttgart and a competitive loss to Danielle Collins in Strasbourg, showed flashes of her potential, despite early exits in Madrid and a French Open withdrawal to focus on grass.
The Berlin Open wildcard follows Raducanu’s acceptance of another at the Queen’s Club Championships from June 9-15, her first grass event of 2025 and the first WTA event in London in 50 years. “I’m very pleased to have come through that match but more just happy with how I was in myself,” she said after her 2024 Nottingham Open win, her first grass-court victory in over 700 days. Last year’s grass season saw her reach the Nottingham semifinals, where she lost to Katie Boulter, and the Eastbourne quarterfinals, defeating world No. 5 Jessica Pegula before falling to Daria Kasatkina. Her Wimbledon run ended in the fourth round against Lulu Sun, but victories over Maria Sakkari showcased her grass-court prowess. “I think I’ve been building towards this,” she noted, reflecting on her growing confidence on the surface.
Raducanu’s decision to play Berlin, alongside Queen’s, reflects a strategic shift to maximize match practice after an injury-plagued career. Since her 2023 surgeries on her wrists and ankle, which saw her ranking plummet to No. 289, she has climbed to No. 42 by May 2025, thanks to a 20-13 record in 2024 and a Miami Open quarterfinal. “I hadn’t played many practice sets leading up to this either,” she admitted after Nottingham, emphasizing her ability to adapt despite limited preparation. Off the court, Raducanu has faced challenges, including a stalking incident in Dubai that left her shaken. “It made me feel unsafe,” she said, though a restraining order was secured. With no formal coach since parting with Nick Cavaday in January 2025, she’s working with hitting partner Raymond Sarmiento and LTA’s Iain Bates, adopting a “less is more” approach.
The Berlin Open’s formidable field, including Sabalenka and Gauff, presents a stern test, but Raducanu’s grass-court affinity—evident in her 2021 Wimbledon fourth-round run as a wildcard—makes her a dark horse. “There’s nothing like playing at home,” she said of British crowds, but Berlin offers a chance to prove herself abroad. With Wimbledon looming from June 30, her busy grass schedule, including potential stops in Eastbourne or Bad Homburg, signals a player determined to reclaim her place among the elite. As she navigates physical and emotional hurdles, Raducanu’s Berlin debut could be the spark that propels her toward another Grand Slam triumph.
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, will make her first non-British grass-court appearance at the Berlin Open, a WTA 500 event from June 16-22, 2025, after receiving a wildcard. “I’m excited to return to competitive tennis and test myself on grass in Berlin,” said the world No. 42. The move follows a Queen’s Club wildcard, marking a busy grass season before Wimbledon.
Raducanu’s 2025 started with a third-round Australian Open run, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova and Amanda Anisimova before losing to Iga Świątek. First-round losses in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar followed, but clay brought progress, with three straight wins in Rome and a Stuttgart quarterfinal. “I’m really proud of my performance,” she said post-Rome, despite a loss to Coco Gauff. In Strasbourg, she fell to Danielle Collins after beating Daria Kasatkina.
Her 2024 grass season included a Nottingham semifinal and Eastbourne quarterfinal, with a win over Jessica Pegula. “I’m very pleased to have come through that match,” she said after Nottingham’s win over Ena Shibahara. Wimbledon’s fourth round saw her top Maria Sakkari. “I think I’ve been building towards this,” she noted. Despite a 2023 injury hiatus and a Dubai stalking incident—“It made me feel unsafe”—Raducanu, coached by Raymond Sarmiento and Iain Bates, eyes Berlin’s star-studded field, led by Aryna Sabalenka, as a chance to shine
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