Tennis is no stranger to controversy, and things aren’t quieting down anytime soon. We’ve seen everything lately, from alleged doping like the recent situations with Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner to on-court drama like Reilly Opelka’s point penalty. And now, with the Qatar Open kicking off today, there’s another hot topic: Emma Raducanu got a wild-card entry to Doha, bumping the recent Abu Dhabi Open champ, Belinda Bencic. Fans are absolutely losing it over this–the debate is intense. So, what’s everyone so worked up about?

After a disappointing Australian Open, where Raducanu was beaten by former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a dominant 3rd round clash (6-1, 6-0), her struggles continued. She participated in both the recently concluded Singapore Open and the Abu Dhabi Open, where she got a direct entry, but failed to impress in both as she suffered early exits in the R32 in both tournaments.

And, for the season’s first WTA 1000 event in Doha, Raducanu was initially expected to fight her way through the qualifying rounds. However, in a surprising turn of events, the 22-year-old received a last-minute wild-card entry into the prestigious tournament and is set to face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the R64 today. This decision has sparked significant frustration among fans, as she was given a direct pass. This is not the case with Olympic Gold medalist Belinda Bencic. 

After a not-so-expected return from a 13-month maternity leave, Bencic clinched her second “WTA Tour-level” title. Before a fourth-round(her best run at the tournament) exit in Melbourne, she had to battle through the qualifiers at the Adelaide International. Then came Abu Dhabi Open, where she triumphed by defeating unseeded Ashlyn Krueger. Through this, she became “the first mother to claim a WTA singles title since Elina Svitolina hoisted the champion’s trophy at Strasbourg in May of 2023.”

Her win even caught the attention of six-time grand slam singles champion and former coach of Novak Djokovic, Boris Becker, who took to X to congratulate her. However, what has truly sent fans into a frenzy is the WTA’s unexpected decision to overlook Bencic for a wild-card entry into the Qatar Open, while awarding one to British Emma Raducanu instead. 

Tennis enthusiasts dished out their verdict of not being a “Raducanu fan these days”

One fan named Pavvy G started the debate tweeting, “A reminder that former Top 5 player Belinda Bencic who is in exceptional form right now, was not given a main draw wild card for the @WTA 1000 in Doha, But Emma Raducanu was.” 

A tennis lover commented, “Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu. Emma is getting an entry everywhere.” Since her comeback from wrist and ankle surgery in 2024, Raducanu has received a staggering 12 wildcard entries, starting with the WTA 250 event in Auckland last January. Among others are the Abu Dhabi Open and the Qatar Open(both in 2024 and again this year), the Indian Wells, the Stuttgart Open, the Madrid Open, the Nottingham Open, the Eastbourne International, the Washington Open, and the Wimbledon 2024. Another fan commented, “WTF! Whyyyy!!!”

A fan said, “This is a crime. Nobody prefers to watch Raducanu over Bencic, except for the stupid sponsors!”. This might come out of logic, as the tennis ace earned a staggering £10($12.40) million from sponsors in 2024, despite her patchy form on court. Whereas Emma Raducanu’s on-court success last year earned her £735,000($911767.46) in prize money, according to JeffBet. The disparity highlights Raducanu’s greater prominence off the court compared to her on-court appearances.

Another tennis enthusiast added, “I wonder who would have made the most of it …”. This directly highlights Bencic’s form, who, despite returning from a long break, managed to win a title at the recently concluded Abu Dhabi Open. In contrast, Raducanu, despite having continuous playing time since her comeback last January, has yet to secure a single title.

However, another fan supported the wildcard entry by explaining the age difference between the tennis players and their grand slam record. “I’m no Raducanu fan these days – and I agree Bencic is in better from, but giving the wild card to a 21 year old former US Open champion, over a 27 year old with no slams, is quite understandable.”

Despite her undeniable talent, Raducanu’s injuries and lack of consistency since her 2021 US Open triumph have left fans questioning her ability to return to the top. Can the British tennis star make a deep run at the Qatar Open this time and finally give her fans the moment they’ve been waiting for? Share your thoughts in the comments below!