Raducanu craves WTA wildcards for Middle East swing to aid comeback

Emma Raducanu plans to regain her form after being injured by joining the WTA Tour in the Middle East. She aims to challenge herself against top-notch players. However, Emma is not yet certain if she can participate in the tournament as she is still waiting for wildcard entries.

“I really want to participate prior to the Indian Wells tournament”, she stated. “At the moment, I plan on heading back and doing some training along with sorting out a few things before I make my way back onto the court. Of course, this will all be reliant on my ranking and wildcard availability, as those are not up to me."

Naturally, I would be thrilled to perform in the Middle East. However, it is up to them to decide whether or not to invite me. Therefore, I am currently in a state of anticipation regarding this matter.

Raducanu suffered a defeat to Wang Yafan in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday. The final score was 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. This result was the same as her performance last year, which is a bit of a disappointment for the 21-year-old player. Due to her absence from playing for about eight months last year, after undergoing surgery on her hands and ankle, her ranking has significantly decreased. Consequently, she is now expected to be around mid-290s in the rankings.

The champion of the 2021 US Open has already been given a wild card entry into the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 tournament, scheduled to begin on February 5th, exactly one week after the conclusion of the Australian Open. Following this event, two major tournaments – Doha and Dubai – are scheduled in February, both carrying the WTA 1000 status. The tour then proceeds to the United States in March for the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments, also known as the "sunshine double". The WTA has recently revamped its calendar keeping these events in mind.

Raducanu may face difficulties in participating in major events due to her protected ranking being relatively low, currently standing at number 103. This ranking may not be enough to secure her a spot in many of the main draws.

In the previous year, she tried to endure wrist discomfort for many months but eventually had to go through surgery. If she had chosen to undergo surgery before participating in her previous tournament, Stuttgart, her ranking would have been 68. Nevertheless, she will probably need to rely on wildcards to take part in top-tier competitions. As she is a grand slam winner, she can use unlimited wildcards.

After undergoing surgery and experiencing setbacks, Raducanu has resumed training and has partnered with her former youth coach, Nick Cavaday. Cavaday, whose sister Naomi was a notable player ranked in the top 200, will remain Raducanu's coach, according to her.

In my opinion, it's simply the feeling of being at ease with someone you've known for a while. I've been acquainted with him since we were both 10-year-old coaches, but we even go way back to when I was 6 and we knew each other in Bromley. Those memories and moments from the past bring about a sense of nostalgia.

She went on to say: "I believe that our efforts have been successful as I have managed to reach this level in just six weeks, coming from a position of starting from scratch. I think that's commendable."

Even though she may not be physically strong, she has no plans to employ a permanent personal fitness instructor, a customary practice for most elite players. "I prefer to keep my circle limited," she explained. "I want to ensure that everyone is trustworthy and close to me."

There is still no clear answer regarding her decision to represent Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup match against France that is set to happen on April 12 and 13. The competition is going to be held on indoor clay, and the French will be the hosts.

Raducanu expressed that while it is always a pleasure to represent her country, her priority this year is to prioritize her schedule and fitness. Due to some minor injuries and the rehab process that comes with them, she believes that it is essential to focus on what is best suited for her body.

For instance, if there's a quick modification in the surface terrain that happens too rapidly and too frequently, I believe that I will need to assess my actions. My main concern for the current season is maintaining good health. That is my topmost priority at this point in time.