Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is staging a remarkable comeback in 2025, with her recent performances on the WTA Tour reigniting discussions about her place among tennis’s elite. The 22-year-old Brit, once ranked as low as No. 296 after a challenging 2023 season marred by injuries, has surged to No. 33 in the WTA rankings, her highest position since 2022. More tellingly, her No. 13 spot in the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) rankings, which prioritize current form, suggests her “true” ranking reflects a player on the cusp of the top 10. “It gives me confidence that I’m not as far away as I perhaps thought before the tournament,” Raducanu said after a thrilling Wimbledon clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, where she pushed the top seed to a 7-6(8-6), 6-4 defeat in the third round.
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been a testament to her resilience. After undergoing surgeries on both wrists and an ankle in 2023, she returned in 2024 with a 6-4, 6-1 win over world No. 26 Marie Bouzkova in Abu Dhabi, signaling her pain-free potential. “I’m still finding my feet on the match court, I’m not fully there but that will come with time,” she noted then, her patience paying off as she climbed back into the top 50 by March after a quarterfinal run at the Miami Open, where she beat Emma Navarro and Amanda Anisimova before falling to Jessica Pegula. Her grass-court campaign further showcased her revival, with a semifinal at Nottingham, a quarterfinal at Eastbourne—highlighted by a 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-5 upset over world No. 5 Pegula—and a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon, where she defeated No. 9 Maria Sakkari. “The problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. Having a match like that where I had chances in both sets, it does give me confidence,” Raducanu reflected post-Wimbledon.
The UTR rankings, which weigh recent performances and opponent strength, place Raducanu ahead of players like Sakkari and just behind Pegula, offering a snapshot of her current level. Former British No. 1 Laura Robson praised her resurgence, stating, “Looking at her levels, she is clearly playing well above her ranking. She is already right up there with top players and that will be really nice for Emma to see.” Raducanu’s aggressive playstyle, marked by a refined forehand and improved serve, has been key. Her 2025 record stands at 28-12, with standout wins over former Grand Slam champions like Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon and Sloane Stephens at Eastbourne. Her run to the Washington Open semifinals, where she beat Sakkari and Naomi Osaka before losing to Paula Badosa, further boosted her to No. 24 in the 2025 WTA Race, positioning her for a potential US Open seeding.
Raducanu’s recent form in Montreal at the National Bank Open, where she secured wins over Cristina Bucsa and Rebecca Sramkova to reach the quarterfinals, has fans buzzing. “Emma Raducanu climbs back to No. 33 in the WTA rankings—her highest position since 2022! The rise is real,” one fan posted on social media, capturing the excitement around her trajectory. With few points to defend from 2024, when she exited the US Open in the first round, Raducanu is poised for a significant rankings leap. A deep run in Cincinnati or New York could see her crack the top 20, a target she’s openly chasing. “I think maybe my goals have slightly shifted from being seeded to actually improving my game,” she said, emphasizing her focus on consistency over rankings.
Despite her 3-13 record against top-10 players, Raducanu’s recent performances suggest she’s closing the gap. Sabalenka, after their Wimbledon battle, saluted her level as “incredible,” predicting a swift return to the elite. “She’s playing very well in some of the matches she had this year and she clearly feels her level is good enough to challenge at these tournaments,” Robson added, urging Raducanu to maintain her aggressive approach. As she prepares for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, where she’ll also play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, Raducanu’s journey from injury-plagued underdog to top-tier contender is captivating the tennis world, with her “true” ranking signaling a star ready to shine again.
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