Emma Raducanu has a final opportunity to gain some experience before the US Open, but there is no indication that she is prepared to seize it. Instead of participating in the Olympic Games in Paris, Raducanu focused on earning ranking points at the WTA Tour event in Washington. Her decision paid off as she reached the quarter-finals and climbed further up the rankings. However, her chances of building on this success have been hindered by her failure to receive wildcards for the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati. As a result, she is severely lacking in match practice leading up to the US Open. This is partly due to Raducanu’s choice to skip the qualifying rounds in Toronto, despite initially being listed as a participant. She is also absent from the Cincinnati tournament after failing to secure a wildcard, even in the qualifying rounds where former Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is competing.
This is not the first time Raducanu has opted out of qualifying, as she also declined to participate in the French Open last May and was unable to secure a wildcard for the main draw. She later explained that her decision to skip the French Open was motivated by her desire to practice on grass courts, a decision that paid off as she made significant progress in subsequent tournaments. However, since then, Raducanu has only played three matches in Washington, declining opportunities to compete in qualifying for the WTA 1000 event in Toronto and skipping the upcoming tournament in Cincinnati. Playing at the Tennis In The Land tournament in Cleveland could be a viable option for Raducanu, as she would likely receive a wildcard if she requested one.
The current entry list in Cleveland includes players such as Leylah Fernandez, whom Raducanu defeated in the 2021 US Open final, as well as Sofia Kenin, Katerina Siniakova, and Anastasia Potapova. It is evident that Raducanu will no longer be swayed by pressure to enter tournaments rapidly. Her focus is now on maintaining her fitness and making steady progress, rather than seeking immediate gains. She is determined to do things on her own terms and is less influenced by outside opinions. Raducanu acknowledges that she used to play too many tournaments without allowing herself enough time for training, resulting in injuries.
This year, she has prioritized training and is content with her own pace, even if it means facing criticism for not participating in certain tournaments. Reports suggest that Raducanu returned to the UK after realizing she would not receive wildcards for the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati. However, her options to enter alternative tournaments have been limited. While she could have played in ITF World Tennis Tour events in the UK, Raducanu has not been inclined to compete at lower levels since her return from injury in the latter half of 2023. As a result, she has been in a state of uncertainty since her loss in the quarter-finals in Washington. If she does not play in Cleveland, she will enter the US Open with minimal match practice on hard courts.
This could leave her ill-prepared for the final major of the year. Raducanu will continue to face this dilemma if she chooses to only participate in top-tier events. As we approach the third anniversary of Raducanu’s remarkable US Open victory, her status as a star player is fading. To maintain her iconic status from 2021, she needs to compete in more tournaments.
Photo from Emma Raducanu Instagram
