‘We’ve got to protect Emma Raducanu,’ says former British No 1 as he makes ranking prediction for former US Open winner

Shahida Jacobs 29 Jul 2024 10:33 AM

Emma Raducanu on the way back, says Greg Rusedski

Greg Rusedski has backed Emma Raducanu to continue her rise

Emma Raducanu’s ranking can “only go in one direction and that’s upwards”, says Greg Rusedski as he pleaded for patience as the former US Open winner continues to fight her way back following her long layoff.

After picking up some impressive wins during the grass-court season, Raducanu raised some eyebrows with her decision not to compete at the Paris Games as she stated she wanted to focus on her long-term health and the North American hard-court season.

She will next feature at the Washington Open and will have an opportunity to move up the WTA Rankings as she doesn’t have any points to defend until the end of the year.

Having started the 2024 season outside the top 300 after missing the second half of the 2023 campaign following surgery, Raducanu has taken some impressive strides forward in recent months.

She returned to the top 200 after reaching the semi-final of the Nottingham Open and then cracked the top 100 with her run to the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Raducanu – a former world No 10 – currently sits at No 89 and just a couple of wins at the WTA 500 event in DC could yield impressive returns in the rankings.

Former world No 4 Rusedski says there are “great signs” for the 21-year-old.

“I think we’ve got to protect Emma because she’s on the way back right now,” the former US Open runner-up told Sky Sports Tennis. “Great signs, and I think if she keeps on having consistent work, [a] consistent team, she’ll get back into the top 10 hopefully. And that’s the ambition.

“If she can stay healthy for the next six months to a year, the rankings are only going to go one direction and that’s upwards.”

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Raducanu hasn’t won a title since her incredible fairytale run at the 2021 US Open when she became the first qualifier to win a major.

Her best performances have been a couple of semi-final appearances and 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone says for now she should just enjoy the process before hitting her straps next year.

“I think she can do much much more – just enjoying and work hard,” the Italian said. “She just came back, everybody’s happy because she’s beautiful, she’s very respectful, she has good quality, so let’s see what’s happened and what will be.

“I hope next year she will be ready for semi-final, final or winning a Slam again.”