Emma Raducanu had a decent grass court season this year. She made deep runs in Nottingham and Eastbourne, before making it through to the R16 in Wimbledon. However, after that, Emma struggled a bit with her injuries, even withdrawing her name from the Paris Olympics. Then, due to a foot ligament injury, Raducanu was again forced to stay away from the QF match at the Korea Open. Since then, she has been out of action and has seen a lot of criticism rising around her lack of consistency over the last few years. However, recently, Raducanu’s compatriot Laura Robson came to her defense amid the latest injury setback.

Sharing her statement on X, Raducanu stated, “I’m sorry to say that I will not be able to play in Hong Kong next week. Whilst my foot is making good progress, I need a little more time before I am match fit. I hope to be able to come back and play this tournament in the future! In the meantime, I am doing what I can to be ready for BJKC [Billie Jean King Cup].” Things aren’t going right for this Brit at the moment; she has played only 33 matches this season, as of now, and has lost 13 of them. So, are injuries the only reason behind the downfall of the 2021 US Open champion?

During her interview with Sky Sports, Laura Robson pointed out the biggest hurdle in Emma Raducanu’s inconsistent form.  According to Robson, “It’s tough listening to her say that in New York because you constantly have the feeling as a tennis player that you could’ve done things differently. It’s still such a learning experience and the fact that she’s still figuring out what works for her, figuring out where she wants to play, and how many tournaments.” She further added, “The game style has been a bit more aggressive over the last couple of months, which is great, but I think it’s also a learning curve. When you look at her results when she has played well and consistently – she can beat almost anyone. She’s a great player with such an attacking game style but you just need to be able to do that day in, day out.“

Emma Raducanu started the season ranking 301 in the world, but now, she’s ranked 55th in the world. So, there is definitely some progress, but looking at her enormous potential, fans expect a bit more from her. Reflecting on this, Robson added, “When you think about the months that she’s missed, to climb to the ranking she is now, it’s actually impressive. In that respect, she’s done really well.” Laura also noted that it’s all about figuring out what works for Emma, given she has been a bit “unlucky” too with her injuries. These setbacks also pushed the 21-year-old away from gaining any sort of moment, as eplained by the tennis expert.

Due to this downfall, Emma Raducanu has now also slipped down the ranking of the world’s most marketable athletes. Her marketability score plummeted to 23.13, dropping her from the 21st spot to the 131st. Raducanu’s marketability has also taken a hit following the loss of high-profile sponsorships, including a recent report of Porsche revoking her luxury car. So, what do other tennis experts have to say about Emma’s situation at the moment? Can she bring back her glorious days?

‘Needs to take ownership of herself” – American tennis legend’s advice for Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu recently shared some glimpses of her time in London. In a few video clips on her social media account, she was seen having a practice session on the court. Raducanu captioned that post stating, “A week of starting the engines.” Injuries have been one of the many obstacles in her career as of now, but has she learned any lessons from these tough situations? Well, during a previous interview, we heard Emma Raducanu say, “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is non-attachment; acknowledging that everything comes and goes.” She also noted starting to learn to accept things and reframe them. 

Emma Raducanu believes she has now become more mature than ever, but tennis legend Martina Navratilova has some straightforward advice for her. “I think Emma needs to take ownership of herself, of her brand, and of her tennis career most of all. She needs to be clear who her team is, what her goal is and not let herself off the hook.” Previously, Navratilova had also spoken about Raducanu’s rise and sudden fall. She expressed her admiration for the Brit, but at the same time, there has always been a slight concern behind every word of praise.

However, despite all these losses and negative comments, there was another person who spoke in favor of Raducanu just a few months ago. Shortly after Emma Raducanu’s exit from the 2024 US Open, Tim Henman mentioned that he still believes Raducanu’s game is moving in the right direction. To a certain extent, her massive jump in the ranking gives us an indication of that, but still, some fans believe winning another Grand Slam title will be a tough ask for this Brit.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.