In the lush, green confines of London’s Queen’s Club, Emma Raducanu stands on the cusp of a pivotal moment in her career. The 22-year-old British tennis star, who captivated the world with her improbable 2021 US Open triumph, is one victory away from a significant rankings surge at the inaugural WTA 500 HSBC Championships. As she prepares to face Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in her opening singles match, the former British No. 1 has a golden opportunity to overtake Katie Boulter and reclaim the top British ranking, a title she held for nearly three years following her Flushing Meadows heroics. Despite recent injury setbacks, Raducanu’s return to the grass courts of her homeland has sparked excitement, with fans and analysts alike eager to see if she can reignite the magic that defined her meteoric rise.
Raducanu’s journey to this moment has been anything but smooth. After her historic US Open win as a qualifier—the first in the Open Era to achieve such a feat—she soared to a career-high ranking of No. 10 in 2022. However, injuries, including surgeries on both wrists and an ankle in 2023, saw her plummet outside the top 300. Her 2024 grass-court season was a beacon of hope, with a semifinal run in Nottingham, a quarterfinal appearance at Eastbourne, and a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon. Yet, these achievements come with a catch: she has ranking points to defend, including 98 from Nottingham’s semifinal last year. Boulter, the current British No. 1 since June 2023, faces a steeper challenge, defending 250 points from her Nottingham title. A single win at Queen’s Club could see Raducanu, currently ranked No. 37 with 1,389 points, leapfrog Boulter’s 1,516 points, as the latter’s tally drops to 1,266 after Nottingham deductions, while Raducanu’s adjusts to 1,291.
The stakes are high, but Raducanu’s expectations remain tempered by a recent back spasm that disrupted her grass-court preparations. “I have had a small interruption with a back spasm again, so that was a bit annoying,” she admitted, reflecting on the injury that flared up before the French Open and sidelined her practice for several days. “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.” Despite the physical setback, Raducanu finds comfort in the familiarity of London. “I love going for walks, like knowing where everything is and also just being able to switch off and detach,” she said, savoring the chance to go home after matches rather than being immersed in the tournament bubble.
The Queen’s Club event, the first women’s tournament there in over 50 years, is a star-studded affair, boasting six Grand Slam champions, including Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. The WTA 500 status offers substantial ranking points—500 for the winner—and a £1 million prize pot, though Raducanu sidestepped questions about the disparity with the men’s event. “There is obviously a big difference, and I’m sure a lot of players will say their piece on it, but I prefer not to kind of get involved,” she said, focusing instead on her performance. A deep run could propel her toward the top 32, securing a Wimbledon seeding and bolstering her momentum for the grass-court season.
Adding a unique twist, Raducanu is also partnering with Boulter in doubles, marking only her second WTA doubles appearance. “I’m quite nervous because I haven’t played doubles and I haven’t really practised doubles,” she confessed with a laugh. “So I’m just, like, not really sure what to do, but I’m just going to hope that Katie tells me what to do. I’m good at taking directions.” Their budding friendship, forged through Billie Jean King Cup ties, remains unaffected by their rivalry for the British No. 1 spot. Their first-round doubles win on Monday showcased their camaraderie, with Boulter joking about guiding her less experienced partner.
Raducanu’s off-court challenges have also shaped her resilience. Earlier this year, a disturbing incident in Dubai, where a fan displayed “fixated behaviour,” left her shaken. “I’ve definitely noticed a difference in how people are watching my back when I’m on the site,” she told reporters, describing the lasting impact. “I’m obviously wary when I go out. I try not to be careless about it.” Yet, surrounded by a supportive team, including returning coach Nick Cavaday and Mark Petchey, Raducanu feels more settled. “I’m happy to see him healthy first of all,” she said of Cavaday, who stepped away for health reasons in January. “It’s been a long time since we were last on court together in Australia.”
As Raducanu steps onto the Queen’s Club grass, childhood memories of visiting with her father—more focused on brownies than tennis—blend with her current ambition. “To be playing here is amazing,” she said, relishing the home crowd’s energy. A victory over Bucsa could not only restore her as British No. 1 but also signal a broader resurgence, setting the stage for Wimbledon and beyond. With her powerful groundstrokes and renewed focus, Raducanu is poised to turn potential into performance, one match at a time.
Leave a Reply