Emma Raducanu, Britain’s 22-year-old tennis sensation, steps onto the grass courts of Queen’s Club in London this week with a mix of determination and caution. The 2021 US Open champion, poised to launch her 2025 grass season at the inaugural WTA 500 HSBC Championships, is grappling with a recurring back issue that has disrupted her preparations. As she aims to reclaim the British No. 1 ranking from Katie Boulter and build momentum for Wimbledon, Raducanu’s resilience is tested by a physical setback that has lingered since the clay season, casting a shadow over her ambitions on her home turf.
Raducanu’s journey to Queen’s Club follows a solid yet challenging clay campaign. Ranked No. 41, she reached the second round at Roland Garros, falling to former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a 1-6, 2-6 defeat, but not before battling through a three-set win over Wang Xinyu. A back spasm, first felt during her loss to Danielle Collins in Strasbourg, flared up again post-Paris, limiting her grass-court practice to just a few days. “I had a small interruption with a bit of a back spasm again, so that was a bit annoying,” Raducanu shared in a candid press conference. “That kind of hindered my grass prep, but the last few days I have managed to get on the grass and just begin to feel my feet.” Her honesty reflects the frustration of a player whose career has been punctuated by injuries since her meteoric US Open triumph.
The Queen’s Club event, a historic first for women’s tennis after over 50 years, offers Raducanu a wildcard entry and a chance to shine against a stacked field, including Grand Slam champions like Naomi Osaka and Barbora Krejcikova. Her opening singles match pits her against Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa, with a potential second-round clash against Krejcikova or Rebecca Sramkova looming. Raducanu’s tempered expectations reveal her pragmatic approach. “My expectations, truthfully, are pretty low because I played points for the first time today,” she admitted. “I’ve had maybe like, two, three days on the grass court, so it’s not been much.” Yet, her determination to push through, coupled with her love for playing at home, fuels her resolve. “I love going for walks, like knowing where everything is and also just being able to switch off and detach,” she said of competing in London.
Adding intrigue, Raducanu is teaming up with Boulter in doubles, a partnership that showcases their camaraderie despite their rivalry for the British No. 1 spot. Their first-round win, a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Wu Fang-Hsien and Jiang Xinyu, highlighted their chemistry. “I’m quite nervous because I haven’t played doubles,” Raducanu confessed with a laugh. “I’m just going to hope that Katie tells me what to do. I’m good at taking directions.” Boulter’s guidance and their shared Billie Jean King Cup experiences underscore a supportive dynamic, even as Raducanu stands to overtake Boulter’s 1,516 ranking points with a single win, adjusting her own tally from 1,389 to 1,291 after defending 98 points from last year’s Nottingham semifinal.
Raducanu’s injury history looms large. Surgeries on both wrists and an ankle in 2023 sidelined her for much of that year, and a foot ligament strain during the 2024 Korea Open quarterfinals forced a two-month hiatus. Her recent back issues, described as a “niggle” that disrupted her ASB Classic participation in Auckland, add to a litany of setbacks, including a 2022 Nottingham retirement due to a “freak” rib injury and a 2024 Wimbledon slip that caused leg and back pain. “It can be frustrating,” she acknowledged, noting the mental toll of recurring injuries. “I think just having to manage it, knowing that it keeps coming back, but I try not to let it get to me.” Her new fitness trainer, Yutaka Nakamura, who worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka, is tasked with building her durability for the Australian Open and beyond.
With coaches Mark Petchey and Nick Cavaday in her corner, Raducanu draws on their experience to navigate this pivotal grass season. Her 2024 campaign, which saw a fourth-round Wimbledon run and a No. 56 ranking, reignited her fire. “I know I’m a dangerous player,” she declared after leading Britain to the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals. As she faces Bucsa and the pressures of a home crowd, Raducanu’s focus is on staying healthy and rediscovering the fearless form that made her a Grand Slam champion, setting the stage for a potential Wimbledon breakthrough.
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