Emma Raducanu ‘not thinking too far ahead’ leaves questions over next event
Emma Raducanu will once again need a wildcard if she is to head straight into the main draw of the next big WTA Tour event, but her recent remarks suggests she could well take a break in the coming weeks.
In an attempt to get more matches under her belt early in the season, Raducanu added the Singapore Tennis Open to her schedule after the Australian Open while she also returned to Abu Dhabi.
But she failed to make it past the first round in both tournaments as she lost in three sets against Cristina Busca in Asia before going down in straight sets against Marketa Vondrousova in the United Arab Emirates.
The 22-year-old was initially scheduled to play qualifiers in Abu Dhabi which would have been the first qualifying event since the 2021 US Open before her wildcard was later upgraded to the main draw.
But Raducanu produced an erratic display as she committed 32 unforced errors against Vondrousova and also appeared to be in discomfort as she held her neck several times during the 6-3, 6-4 defeat.
The back-to-back Qatar Open and Dubai Tennis Championships are next on the WTA Tour calendar, but Raducanu’s ranking – she currently sits outside the top 50 – was not good enough for direct entries into these events.
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The wildcards for both tournaments are still to be confirmed, but if she is overlooked then her other option is qualifiers.
But in a recent interview with The National, Raducanu admitted her plans are still up in the air.
“I have no idea. I’m going to take it week by week. See how I am, see how the body is and see what kind of plan we put in place, I guess,” she stated.
“But I’m not thinking too far ahead, just trying to take it day by day in the current situations.”
If she opts out of the WTA 1000 double-header in the Middle East, then she will likely only be back on the Tour at the Sunshine Double with the Indian Wells Open running from 5-16 March and the Miami Open taking place from 18-30 March.
Former player-turned-tennis pundit Laura Robson certainly believes Raducanu needs as many matches as possible so a month-long break is unlikely to aid her return to form.
“I love the fact that she went to Singapore in the first place, to get some more matches in,” Robson told Sky Sports Tennis.
“Obviously that didn’t go as well as she’d have hoped, but then to play the week after is exactly what she’s been trying to do for the last year.
“It’s a great decision and hopefully she’ll be able to build on that – and by the time [WTA 1000 events] Indian Wells and Miami come around [in March], she’s got a good base to work with.
“Even in Australia, you could tell she was on the right path and starting to play some good tennis, but just wasn’t quite match sharp in the key moments.”
