Emma Raducanu: How will Brit get into 2024 Australian Open - direct entry, qualifying or wild card?
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Published 02/01/2024 at 15:06 GMT
Time is ticking towards the 2024 Australian Open and Emma Raducanu is still waiting to see whether she will need a wild card or to go through qualifying to enter. The 2021 US Open champion made her return to action at the ASB Classic in Auckland after undergoing surgery last summer. She is waiting to see whether she will get direct entry into the first Grand Slam of the season.
Raducanu: My biggest goal in 2024 is being injury free
Emma Raducanu made a winning return at the ASB Classic in Auckland after eight months out injured.
The 2021 US Open champion beat qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse in her first match since undergoing wrist and ankle surgeries in May.
The tournament in Auckland is Raducanu’s first since last April and acts as preparation ahead of the 2024 Australian Open, which starts on Sunday, January 14, live on Eurosport and discovery+.
But will Raducanu get a main-draw spot at the first Grand Slam of the season or will she have to come through qualifying? Or might she get a wild card?
Raducanu is not currently in the main draw due to her ranking position.
She is currently ranked at No. 301 in the world, but is able to use her protected ranking to enter the tournament.
A protected ranking is designated to players who are out of action for a long period to enable them to enter tournaments even though they have fallen in the rankings due to their inactivity.
Raducanu’s protected ranking is 103, which is not enough for a main-draw spot.
However, Raducanu is just one more withdrawal away from automatically qualifying for the Grand Slam.
Raducanu started several spots away from automatic entry but moved closer after Karolina Muchova, Caty McNally and Irina-Camelia Begu were all ruled out with injury.
Petra Kvitova’s announcement that she is pregnant and won’t be playing means Raducanu needs just one more player in the main draw to pull out to secure direct entry.
However, there is a chance that won’t happen. If it doesn’t then there are two options for Raducanu.
She could still get a wildcard for the main draw. According to a report in The i she has asked for a wild card, but has not yet received confirmation from Tennis Australia.
Former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki was given a wildcard in December along with several Australians, and there are just four spots remaining.
Two of those will go to players from the USA and France due to reciprocal agreements with the French Tennis Federation and United States Tennis Association, and one usually goes to a player from the Asia-Pacific region.
That would leave just one spot free for another wild card.
The last option for Raducanu will be going through qualifying. As it stands this is the route that Raducanu is on unless there is another withdrawal or she is awarded a wild card.
Qualifying starts on Monday, January 8 and finishes on Thursday, January 11 and Raducanu would need three wins to reach the main draw.
Raducanu memorably came through qualifying to win the US Open in 2021.
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Emma Raducanu beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse in her comeback match in Auckland
Image credit: Getty Images
She said after her winning return in Auckland that she is “grateful to be healthy” after eight months away from the tour.
“It’s difficult after having such a long hiatus but I’m grateful to be healthy, I’m grateful to be able to move my body and not bedridden or in a wheelchair.
“It’s pretty amazing to just be out here and playing and I’m just really happy to be back on the tour and can’t wait to start this season and carry on hopefully injury-free and healthy.”
Raducanu plays Elina Svitolina in the second round in Auckland.
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