Emma Raducanu, the British tennis prodigy who captivated the world with her fairy-tale 2021 US Open victory, finds herself at a crossroads in her career. Once hailed as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam, the 22-year-old has endured a challenging stretch, marked by a string of early exits and persistent injuries. Her latest setback came at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where she suffered a 6-3, 6-2 first-round loss to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, dropping her season record to a disheartening 3-6. With four first-round defeats this year alone, Raducanu’s once-unstoppable momentum has stalled, prompting calls for a bold shift in approach. To reclaim her place among tennis’ elite, experts suggest she may need to swallow her pride and embrace lower-tier tournaments to rebuild her confidence and form.
Raducanu’s meteoric rise in 2021, when she stormed through the US Open without dropping a set, remains one of tennis’ most remarkable stories. Ranked outside the top 300 earlier that year, she became the youngest British woman to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round and then clinched the US Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier, defeating Leylah Fernandez in a historic final. However, since that magical run, consistency has eluded her. Injuries, including surgeries on both wrists and an ankle, have disrupted her progress, limiting her to just five match wins in majors since 2022. Her 2025 season has been particularly tough, with early exits in high-profile events like the Australian Open, Qatar Ladies Open, and now Indian Wells. “While Raducanu has dealt with her share of injuries since her memorable run at the US Open 2021, she hasn’t made much of an impact even when she was healthy,” observers note, pointing to her inability to advance past the semifinals of a WTA tournament since her Grand Slam triumph.
The solution, many argue, lies in a return to the grind of lower-tier competitions, such as ITF events or qualifying rounds. Raducanu’s enduring popularity has secured her wildcards into major tournaments, but this privilege may be hindering her development. “Raducanu can follow in their footsteps and gain some valuable experience and match play if she drops down to the ITF level,” experts suggest, citing players like Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic, who rebuilt their form through smaller tournaments. Svitolina, after returning from maternity leave in 2023, reached a WTA 125 final before winning the Strasbourg Open and making deep runs at the French Open and Wimbledon. Similarly, Bencic tested her game in ITF events post-pregnancy, steadily improving until she reached a final. “Winning begets confidence, and one good run is all it takes for a player to realize that they’re capable of more,” analysts say, emphasizing the value of stringing together victories, even against lower-ranked opponents.
For Raducanu, competing in ITF tournaments or qualifying rounds could sharpen her match fitness and killer instinct, qualities that have waned since her US Open glory. “Ideally, Raducanu should focus on competing in lower tier events,” experts advise, noting that she hasn’t reached a final since 2021. A title, even at a smaller event, could reignite her belief and momentum. She showed willingness to play qualifiers in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, but organizers granted her a main-draw wildcard instead. “An additional two matches could go a long way in building some confidence and momentum,” commentators argue, suggesting that embracing the grind of qualifiers could provide the match practice she desperately needs.
Raducanu’s reluctance to embrace a heavier schedule stems from her unconventional approach. “I don’t think I will ever be the player who is playing close to 30 events a year,” she said recently, reflecting her preference for selective tournaments. However, this strategy has left her underprepared, as seen in her lackluster US Open first-round loss to Sofia Kenin in 2024, where she admitted feeling “out of touch.” With a career-high ranking of No. 10 now a distant memory, Raducanu must confront the reality that rebuilding her game requires humility and persistence. As she prepares for the 2025 season, including a potential return to Flushing Meadows, the tennis world watches eagerly to see if she can channel her undeniable talent into a comeback story as inspiring as her 2021 triumph.
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