Emma Raducanu willing to play at lower level to rediscover form after Australian Open exit - ‘It isn’t that different’

ByBen Southby

Published 19/01/2024 at 20:20 GMT

There is a possibility Emma Raducanu could drop down a level to rediscover her best form. The Brit recently dropped to 296th in the WTA rankings, which is too low to earn direct entry to the biggest tournaments on the calendar. After her Australian Open second-round defeat, Raducanu seemed open to the idea of playing at a lower level. “I really believe that the difference is not that big.”

Emma Raducanu is prepared to play at a lower level in order to rediscover her best form after dropping to 296th in the WTA rankings.

The former world No. 4’s ranking plummeted after a lengthy injury lay-off in 2023 and after a second-round straight-sets defeat to Wang Yafan after battling illness, she remains outside the top 300 players in the world.

Although she has a protected ranking of 103 to use for a certain number of entries, Raducanu’s current ranking is too low for direct entry into WTA events.

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The Brit was fortunate to avoid qualifying and earn an automatic spot at the Australian Open due to withdrawals, but with her future at the biggest tournaments on the calendar hanging in the balance, the 21-year-old is open to dropping a level for her long-term gain.

“I really believe that the difference in level between the quote ‘lower-level tournaments’ and these tournaments is not that big,” Raducanu said. “Because you gain so many skills, you’re playing in these conditions. The wind here was a prime example.

“My opponent [Wang] played a lot of ITF and got a lot of matches under her belt, but the level really isn’t that different.

“So yeah, I would play whatever suits my schedule, whatever suits the plan."

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Raducanu has already received a wild card for the Abu Dhabi Open in February and after that comes the “sunshine double” of Indian Wells followed by the Miami Open.

The 2021 US Open champion has revealed that she intends to feature in both events and will be able to use her protected ranking which would likely earn her a qualifying spot.

However, Raducanu wants to put a run of matches together before those bigger tournaments come around.

“I would love to compete beforehand,” she said. “I think now going back, training a little bit, tidy some things up. Then it depends on the ranking and wild card situation.”

Working with a fitness coach more regularly is another idea Raducanu is open to, after struggling during crucial moments in matches.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Emma Raducanu of Great Britain in action against Yafan Wang of China in the second round on Day 5 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Im

Image credit: Eurosport

During her time in Australia and New Zealand, three of the four matches she has played have gone to three sets, and her physicality noticeably declined.

“I worked with a really good trainer back in London,” Raducanu said. “But he’s with the Lawn Tennis Association, so I don’t know if he travels too much.

“I think that certain weeks sporadically travelling with a fitness coach is a great idea. For example, when the tournaments are two-week events.

“If you get knocked out early, it’s a prime opportunity to do a 10-day little block. So I think it’s something to be looked at.

“But in the immediate future, I think it’s just getting more time in practice for tidying up any bugs.”

'No way I was going to pull out' says 'tougher' Raducanu

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