Fans and insiders expect great things from Emma Raducanu in 2025. The British player has shown signs of growth in 2024, although she is still a long way from the top of the WTA ranking. After a very disappointing couple of seasons, the 2021 US Open champion has had some good results this year and has defeated some top players in recent months.
Despite some physical problems that also affected her in 2024, Emma closed 2024 with a balance of 23 wins and 13 losses, showing progress compared to 2023 from all points of view. Raducanu reached the round of 16 at the Wimbledon Championships, but was overwhelmed by criticism in London due to her decision to skip mixed doubles with Andy Murray (who was in his last Wimbledon appearance before retiring).
In addition, the British champion also reached the semifinals in Nottingham and the quarterfinals in Stuttgart, Washington, Seoul and Eastbourne. Although she lacked the high, Emma can be satisfied with her season and can look forward to 2025 with optimism.
The current world number 57 will start the new season in Auckland, which will be his only test before flying to Melbourne Park for the 2025 edition of the Australian Open. Raducanu is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated players at the AO, where she will try to gain points and confidence in view of the rest of the season.
Emma is working hard
Emma knows she has to work hard technically and physically, having learned numerous lessons over the past two years.
The former world number 10 has decided to invest heavily in her career and it is for this reason that she has hired Yutaka Nakamura, a highly regarded fitness coach on the professional tour who has worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka in the past.
“I needed a more tailored approach and someone dedicated to me,” Raducanu explained in a recent interview.
“My athleticism is a big strength that I have nowhere near fulfilled. I think I can become one of the best athletes in tennis.
Yutuka adds another dimension to the way Nick and I work – it has become integrated and connected.
We can already see things that we do in the gym transferring onto the tennis court. We’re on a journey of exploration.”
The new season is very close
If she continues her growth path and finds the right serenity, Raducanu has all the skills to become one of the best players in the world. The former world number 10 can start a very spectacular rivalry with champions like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, who are the two benchmarks of women’s tennis right now.
In recent weeks, WTA tour has been shaken by the news of Swiatek’s positivity to trimetazidine (detected in August). The Polish champion managed to prove her innocence and was suspended for only a month, but her case has generated a lot of discussions in every corner of the world.
During an interview with ‘The Telegraph’, Emma commented on Iga’s doping case: ”Not just me, but a lot of the players I know, we’re quite apprehensive. Everything we take, we are very aware of the situation and how easily things can be contaminated.
To batch-test something, it costs a grand for one little thing, so it’s very expensive.
For the things that you really, really need to take, then it’s obviously worth that. But you just have to cut out a lot of things that you wouldn’t necessarily take,
I’m very careful with what I drink, what I eat. If I leave my water around, I’m very on edge about it. But it’s just part of the sport. We’re all in the same boat.”
When she won her first Grand Slam title in New York in 2021, many thought Emma would become world No. 1 in a short time. It is likely that that resounding triumph came too soon and that Raducanu was not ready to handle all that pressure. The former world number 10 has struggled a lot to find the right way and risked losing her talent, but the situation has improved considerably in recent months.
WTA tour is in desperate need of new faces and great personalities, which is why everyone hopes that Emma will fully express her huge talent in the coming years.
The Australian Open will be the first big event of the new season for all players and the results could be very surprising. Emma will also have to hope for a draw that is not too hard in the first week of the tournament, so as to win a few matches and gain confidence in view of the second week. If she gets to the second week, Raducanu will be a very dangerous opponent for anyone.
