The British tennis star has been sharing glimpses of her workouts at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London, with plans to intensify her training in America soon. Having missed much of the previous year due to various injuries, the 2021 US Open champion has slipped to No. 252 in the WTA standings. Consequently, she will need wildcards to access major tournaments, which is expected given her history as a Grand Slam winner.
British star player Emma Raducanu has shared some new photos from her training sessions at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London, and she is expecting that her preparations will soon be stepped up on American territory. The 2021 US Open winner has dropped to No.252 in the current WTA rankings, having missed much of last year due to injuries. The same leaves her relying on wildcards to enter the game’s major tournaments and Raducanu should receive those as a former Grand Slam champion.
Because she stepped away from the tour for surgery on her wrist and both ankles, the 21-year-old has a protected ranking of No. 103. However, this isn't sufficient for direct entry into the most prestigious events. While her return to the WTA Tour in Austria showed some promise, Raducanu has found it hard to build momentum, highlighted by a disappointing first-round exit at the Qatar Open where she lost 6-0, 7-6(6) to Anhelina Kalinina.
After that match, Raducanu decided to rethink her calendar. Instead of using a potential wildcard to play in the Dubai WTA 1000, she opted to return to England for more practice. She admitted that she needs to manage her schedule more effectively and focus on getting more match experience, stating that she intends to go home, train, and take things one step at a time.
Currently, Raducanu is waiting to hear if she'll be granted a wildcard for next month's WTA 1000 in Indian Wells. Her current ranking is too low to qualify for the 128-player field, but she is a strong candidate for an invitation to the California event, as well as the Miami Open the following week. Tournament directors are eager to have her on the bill because she is a massive draw for fans, which was clearly seen by the packed crowds during her Australian Open matches last month.
Raducanu now faces a choice: test herself against the world's elite or opt for smaller tournaments to regain confidence. She could potentially play in the WTA 125 in Charleston or the San Luis Open in Mexico in late March, where the competition is less intense and she would have a better chance of securing a string of wins.