3 reasons why Emma Raducanu should not be written off in 2025

So far in her young career, Emma Raducanu’s biggest achievement has been her historic US Open 2021 triumph, where she became the first-ever player to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier. Expectedly, Raducanu hasn’t been able to replicate that level of success yet.

In fact, the Slam in New York is thus far her only career title. However, while the Brit has failed to live up to the expectations in the seasons that followed, it may be premature to write her off.

Here are three reasons why Emma Raducanu is likely to succeed in 2025:

#1 Emma Raducanu has shown she is capable of overcoming challenges

Raducanu pictured at the 2021 US Open - Image Source: Getty

It is worth noting that 2021 was the season Emma Raducanu made her Grand Slam main-draw debut, accepting a wildcard at the Wimbledon Championships. She surprised her home crowd by storming into the fourth round in her first attempt. At this stage, though, her lack of experience became evident. The Brit retired mid-match due to breathing difficulties, seemingly caused by the pressure of the situation.

Just a month later, she was back competing at a Grand Slam, this time as a qualifier at the US Open—all the more determined to make a mark and succeed, she did. Those sensational three weeks in New York saw the-then 18-year-old clobber each of her 10 opponents in straight sets to etch her name in history books.

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#2 Emma Raducanu's 2024 comeback shows promise

Emma Raducanu pictured at Wimbledon 2024 - Image Source: Getty

2022 marked Raducanu’s first full season. The Brit earned a direct main-draw berth at all four Grand Slams but struggled to keep pace with the demands of the WTA tour. Although she cracked the top 10 during her campaign, several injury-related withdrawals hampered her progress. The season also saw her make multiple coaching changes, possibly contributing to her decline.

In 2023, Emma Raducanu continued her feeble run before undergoing three surgeries that pushed her to the sidelines for the rest of the season. She returned to action at the dawn of 2024, and her campaign has picked up steam since.

The 22-year-old reached four quarterfinals in Seoul, Washington, DC, Eastbourne, and Stuttgart, falling short against tough opposition from Paula Badosa, Daria Kasatkina, and Iga Swiatek. She also reached the semifinals in Nottingham, where she lost a tight three-setter against defending champion and compatriot Katie Boulter.

At Grand Slams, her best result was replicating her 2021 Wimbledon run by reaching the fourth round. During the grasscourt season, Emma Raducanu also secured her career’s first two top-10 wins—against Jessica Pegula (in Eastbourne) and Maria Sakkari (at SW19).

She kicked off the 2024 season ranked No. 285 but has since re-entered the world’s top 60 -- 54 being her season’s best ranking. This is also the first time since 2021 that the Brit has registered a positive win-loss record, winning 23 of her 36 matches.

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#3 Emma Raducanu's campaign ended on a high note

Raducanu pictured at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals - Image Source: Getty

While Emma Raducanu would have hoped to put injury woes behind her, she did suffer a minor setback after hurting her left foot in Seoul at the tail end of the season. As a result, she ended her WTA campaign prematurely but made a promising return on the indoor hardcourts of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga.

Great Britain didn’t secure the title, but Raducanu posted a 100% win rate, contributing heavily to her team’s run to the semifinals. Interestingly, she enjoyed similar success during the tournament’s qualifiers in April, scoring claycourt wins against the likes of Frenchwomen Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry.

Over the course of her 2024 campaign, Emma Raducanu has been vocal about her on-court ambitions and has been putting in the necessary efforts during the preseason, if her social media updates are anything to go by. She has also assembled a stable team, which includes her childhood coach, Nick Cavaday. Furthermore, the 22-year-old is reportedly set to team up with Naomi Osaka and Maria Sharapova's ex-fitness coach, Yutaka Nakamura.

Raducanu has yet to prove her consistency across the season, but her recent results serve as indicators of positive things to come in 2025. Although a 2021 US Open-like run would be a tall order, a second career title could be on the horizon for the Brit.