Emma Raducanu is still one of the more intriguing stories in tennis, and not just because of how quickly she broke through.
She became the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam, pulling off a run that nobody else has come close to repeating. That kind of moment is hard to live up to for anyone, no matter how much talent they have.
That being said, she hasn’t come close to matching the expectations that came after her US Open victory nearly five years ago.
It’s easy to forget what she achieved at 18 years old. It’s even easier for fans and pundits to overlook just how tough it is mentally and physically to stay at that level, especially with the added pressure of sudden fame. Most people don’t see everything that goes on behind the scenes.
Emma Raducanu has faced more of these setbacks than most, and they’ve often left a mark.
Injuries to her wrist and ankle have cost her full seasons in the past, and just as she seemed to be getting back to full strength, illness took its turn. The latest setback, which started in Cluj this February, has been particularly hard on her.
She played a few tournaments after reaching the final in Romania, but didn’t look herself in Qatar, Dubai or Indian Wells. The effects of that illness seemed to linger and have now spilt over into the clay season as well.
Raducanu recently pulled out of the Madrid Open, but there is talk that the Italian Open could be a realistic target for her return. Even so, there’s an argument that she doesn’t need to rush back—not for Rome and maybe not even for Roland Garros.
It might even make sense for Raducanu to step away from clay altogether this year. She only played six matches on it last season – three at lower-level events – so there isn’t much momentum or ranking points at risk if she skips this swing.
While it’s a big call to make, there are plenty of reasons why Raducanu might want to think about sitting out the clay season.
This isn’t an injury she’s dealing with. It’s something less predictable that needs a bit more flexibility in how she approaches her recovery, rather than just following a strict timeline. Skipping tournaments could actually work in her favour.
It would let Raducanu set her own pace, build up match fitness gradually, and give her more time to get ready for the grass season—something she’s spoken about being excited for.
If she jumps back into competition too quickly, she could find herself locked into a packed schedule with no real chance to pause if her illness comes back.
And historically, clay hasn’t been her strongest surface anyway. She’s only played Roland Garros twice and hasn’t made it past the second round either time.
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