Emma Raducanu appears to be hitting pause on her competitive schedule, with confirmation that she won’t be representing Great Britain in the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup fixtures later this month. This development points toward a potential short break from the professional circuit, possibly to recalibrate and focus on fitness.
Initially listed as part of the British contingent for their clashes against Germany and the Netherlands in The Hague, Raducanu’s absence was later confirmed by team captain Anne Keothavong through an official statement from the LTA.
“I recognise this has been a difficult decision for Emma,” said Keothavong.
“Of course you always miss a player of her quality on the team, we’ve seen what she can do in the past representing her country, but I have the utmost belief in the players who are travelling next week and will confirm a 5th player in due course.”
With Raducanu stepping aside, the leadership baton passes to Katie Boulter, who will spearhead a squad including rising star Sonay Kartal, the ever-determined Harriet Dart, and doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls.
However, Raducanu’s next move has stirred speculation. She’s registered for the WTA 250 Open de Rouen in France, which begins April 14. But her decision to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup just a week before that date has sparked rumors that she may also skip the Rouen event. Inside sources suggest she might prioritize an intensive training block instead, potentially working out of the National Tennis Centre in London.
The 21-year-old’s clay-court calendar last year was limited. She played only two WTA events on the surface—reaching the quarters in Stuttgart before falling flat in her Madrid opener. Notably, she skipped qualifying rounds for both the Italian Open and Roland Garros, a move that raised eyebrows across the tennis community. However, her gamble paid off to some extent, as she bounced back on the grass. A semi-final showing in Nottingham and a career-best win over world No. 5 Jessica Pegula in Eastbourne gave her momentum. Her last-16 run at Wimbledon further boosted her confidence and hinted at untapped potential.
This season, Raducanu came into her own during the Miami Open, surging to the quarter-finals in one of her best performances since her US Open breakthrough. Given she has minimal points to defend during this clay swing, the period offers a golden chance to vault up the rankings—if she chooses to compete.
But there’s every indication she might sacrifice that short-term ranking gain in favor of long-term conditioning. If she opts to stay off-court competitively, her return might come in Madrid’s WTA 1000 tournament at the end of the month, or perhaps even Rome in early May, building up to only her second-ever showing at Roland Garros.
Former British No. 1 Tim Henman believes Raducanu’s recent revival can be linked to her busier schedule this year. After a sluggish start to 2025, her resilience in Miami stood out—not just tactically, but physically.
“It’s been great that she’s competed a lot more this year after Australia,” Henman told Sky Sports Tennis.
“She’s played three or four tournaments but the results haven’t been there. But I think that when you’re putting in that hard work in the gym with a physical trainer, I thought her movement both sort of offensively and defensively looked fantastic.
“She talks about having fun and being authentic, that gives her the opportunity of expressing herself on the court. That being said, she does it differently. She is very comfortable. She’s changed coaches.
“That’s not necessarily what everyone else likes to do, but she’s comfortable changing that up.
“But for me, as Marion touched upon, building physical resilience, I think is the most important thing. That is what has been lacking because she’s almost had her career back to front, qualifying, winning that Grand Slam without really the physical foundation.
“When her body was breaking down when she was in competition. I think the big positive this year is that she’s been able to compete more consistently and hopefully the results are going to come.”
For now, Raducanu remains tight-lipped about her next tournament appearance. Yet all signs suggest that, barring injury setbacks or major changes to her schedule, she intends to return to the red dirt of Paris for the French Open—having missed the Grand Slam for the past two years.
The road ahead for Raducanu continues to be anything but predictable. Whether it’s a calculated rest or a step back to leap forward, she’s shaping her own comeback—on her own terms.