Emma Raducanu’s ranking slump continues as she recovers form wrist surgeries with latest slide seeing her drop out of WTA top 250 list.
The 20-year-old is out of action since April as she last competed at the Stuttgart Open in Germany where she faced a heavy R1 exit against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.
Two weeks after the crushing defeat, the WTA rising talent took to social media to reveal that she had undergone a procedure on her right wrist and would require another on the left wrist as well as a minor procedure on her left ankle. At that time Raducanu was hopeful for making a comeback after a next few months of grass swing including home major Wimbledon, but almost five months later, she is still waiting to return to the WTA circuit with the inevitable drop in rankings.
Struggling for fitness and results, the 110 ranking points from Brit’s run to Korea Open semifinal appearance last year are set to drop next week and that will result in Raducanu plummeting towards #275 rank once the rankings are refreshed.
Who would have thought that a player who broke into the top ten after winning the biggest career of her title at 2021 US Open, would take such a fall this early in her career. Raducanu’s fairytale run was jinxed by a bad patch in her form and then multiple physical issues.
Many criticized the young star for being too indulged in commercial deals she singed after the victory at the season-ending Slam in New York and created a public perception that the former British #1 was destined to fall from grace because of losing hunger for success. Yet those who have been following her progress at LTA’s National Tennis Center in London over the last few weeks have suggested that 21-year-old has been training to equip herself with all the weapons ahead of his 2024 return.
“Next season I’ll be back,” revealed 2021 champion at Flushing Meadows to BBC London.
“This season all the slams were finished so it was difficult to watch them go by but I was trying to stay in my lane as much as possible and keep focused on my recovery.
The youngster also appeared to brush off the negativity as she added: “The fact they are still talking about me even though I’m not at these events is just a compliment. Someone told me ‘worry when they are not talking about you’.”
Former British No 1 Laura Robson has backed the compatriot for success on return suggesting that she will register a rapid rise to recover the lost WTA rankings.
“We know she has got the game to do it. She has the ball striking ability, she is a great mover and a great all-round player and she competes,” Robson told Tennis365 at a Play Your Way To Wimbledon event.
“All you can do is stay as healthy as possible and try to play as many matches as possible to see where you go.
“I wouldn’t want to put a date on it or put pressure on her to return at a certain point,” she added.
“As anyone who has had a long-term injury knows, you have a goal in your mind and it is always adjusting.
“You might think you are going to be ready to play at a certain date and you pick up a little niggle somewhere else in your body as you have been doing months and months of compensating.
“She can’t play a lot of tennis at the moment, but it’s a huge step forward and she seems so happy to be back on court, which is lovely to see.
“I’m sure she is gunning to get back out there because having to watch all the tournaments on TV is the hardest part.”
Raducanu first made the headlines as a wildcard at Wimbledon two year ago when she reached the R4 of the home major before retiring due to breathing problems. For Raducanu her ultimate dream is to win at SW19 since Virginia Wade achieved the fate way back in 1977.
Wimbledon is the dream and always has been growing up. It’s still the ultimate dream to win Wimbledon,” she told BBC.