Emma Raducanu at risk of dangerous draw as she gears up for return to action

Emma Raducanu is at risk of a daunting draw upon her return to the WTA Tour. The Brit has been sidelined for the Asian swing of the Tour with a foot injury, which saw her withdraw from the China Open and Wuhan Open before ruling herself out of competing in the Ningbo Open and the Guangzhou Open. Raducanu is now hoping to make her comeback in Hong Kong and she looks to conclude the season on a high after what has proved to be another tricky campaign for the 2021 US Open winner.

The world No. 54 will head into the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open with a lack of match fitness, and thus she will be hoping for a favorable early draw to ensure that she is afforded time to get up to speed without reaggravating any of her previous problems. However, there are several high-quality stars who are also entered for the event at the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium.

World No. 9 Danielle Collins looks set to be the top seed for the competition for the first time after recently announcing she has postponed her retirement. The American previously vowed to bring the curtain down on her career at the end of the 2024 season but has now said she will be ‘back on tour in 2025’.

Emma’s ready to play the @HKTennisOpen #Raducanu | #EmmaRaducanu pic.twitter.com/mdW3Bo0p5F

— Emma Raducanu Fans (@RaducanuNews) October 17, 2024

Leylah Fernandez would also present a tough challenge for Raducanu to overcome if she is drawn against the Canadian. Fernandez was last seen reaching the third round of the singles and the semis of the doubles at the Wuhan Open.

Fellow Brit Katie Boulter is also entered to play in Hong Kong. Organizers recently announced that former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka will also compete, two weeks after she was forced to retire from her clash with Coco Gauff at the China Open earlier this month. The 27-year-old suffered a back injury which prevented her from continuing.

Nevertheless, Raducanu will need to be at her very best if she is to reach the latter stages of the competition in Hong Kong. Speaking about her entry into the event, she posted online: “Hello everyone, it’s Emma Raducanu here. I really cannot wait to come and play the Prudential Women’s Hong Kong Open.

“It’s my first time playing the WTA event there, but I was there in December last year and I really loved the city so I’m very much looking forward to coming and I hope to see you all there in October.”