Emma Raducanu will face Caroline Garcia at the Billie Jean King Cup; It is her first appearance at the tournament since 2022; watch over 80 tournaments a year, including the US Open, exclusively live on
Highlights of the round of 32 match at the Indian Wells Open between Emma Raducanu and Aryna Sabalenka.
Emma Raducanu will take on Caroline Garcia in the Billie Jean King Cup on Friday in her first match for Great Britain in two years.
The former US Open champion is available to Britain’s captain Anne Keothavong for the tie against France for the first time since making her debut in April 2022.
On that occasion, Raducanu won her first senior match on clay against Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic before losing heavily to Marketa Vondrousova in a tie Britain ultimately lost 3-2.
Emma Raducanu gives a serving masterclass and gives tips and tricks on different types of serves! credit: LTA via X
They are back on clay just across the Channel in Le Portel on Friday and Saturday, and Keothavong is likely to need Raducanu to win at least one match if Britain are to spring a surprise and reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.
Sky Sports Tennis’ Laura Robson believes Raducanu was showing promising signs at Indian Wells and could perform once again at the Billie Jean King Cup if her body is feeling right.
Martina Navratilova says Andy Murray will retire on his own terms and believes we’ll see Emma Raducanu’s talent again when she gets healthy.
“You just know how your body is feeling at the time. To me, she played some really good matches in Indian Wells,” said Robson.
“I thought she was hitting the ball very cleanly, going for her shots and trying to play super-aggressively.
“I think it was a back issue in Miami but I think she’ll want to play in Stuttgart because she’ll want to give herself some really good preparation for the clay. It can really take it out of the body.”
Robson also believes Great Britain are facing an incredibly challenging draw for the 2024 tournament.
“It’s tough. A very tough draw but you’ve always got a chance in that situation because you don’t know how people are going to respond to the pressure,” she added.
“You look to the tie in Glasgow a few years ago now when Heather Watson had two really big wins.
“She always plays her best tennis there but I think there’s not a standout doubles partnership that we have on the women’s side whereas the French team have got Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia, who are planning on playing the Olympics and have won just about everything together, so it definitely makes it tougher if it came down to the doubles.”