Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is making significant strides toward reclaiming a top-10 position in women’s tennis, with alternative ranking systems revealing her ‘true’ standing in the sport. As of August 1, 2025, Raducanu is ranked world No. 33 in the official WTA rankings, a substantial rise from her No. 45 position before the North American summer swing, and has reclaimed the British No. 1 spot from Katie Boulter. However, her current form is better reflected in alternative metrics like the WTA Race and Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) rankings, which place her at No. 24 and No. 13, respectively, signaling her proximity to the elite. Tennis365 reports that these rankings, emphasizing recent performances, suggest Raducanu is closer to the top 10 than her official ranking indicates.
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been her most consistent since her historic US Open triumph. Her grass-court campaign enhanced her reputation, culminating in a competitive third-round Wimbledon loss to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (7-6(8-6), 6-4), where Sabalenka praised her “incredible” level, predicting a top-10 return. Raducanu followed with a semifinal run at the WTA 500 Washington Open, defeating top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari, and a strong start at the WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Montreal, where she reached the third round with wins over Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-2, 6-4) and Peyton Stearns (6-2, 6-4). These results, including her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal at the Miami Open in March, have propelled her to No. 24 in the 2025 WTA Race, which tracks points earned this year, and No. 13 in UTR rankings, which prioritize current form over the past 52 weeks.
The UTR system, rating players on a 1.00–16.50 scale based on recent match results, values wins against higher-ranked opponents more heavily, offering a dynamic snapshot of form. Raducanu’s UTR ranking of No. 13 reflects her ability to challenge top players, evidenced by her 22-15 season record and victories over Pegula (No. 5) at Eastbourne and Sakkari (No. 9) at Wimbledon. Her official ranking, however, is tempered by fewer points to defend from 2024, when injuries and early exits limited her progress. With only 1,405 points, she sits just above Magda Linette (No. 34) and Dayana Yastremska (No. 35), but her Montreal performance could push her into the top 32, securing a US Open seeding.
Raducanu’s confidence is growing, as she noted post-Wimbledon: “To push Aryna gives me confidence. Before, I felt gulfs away from the top.” Her partnership with coach Mark Petchey, though temporary due to his media commitments, has stabilized her game, with a focus on volleys ahead of her US Open mixed doubles pairing with Carlos Alcaraz. With minimal points to defend and a favorable hard-court schedule, Raducanu is poised to climb closer to her career-high No. 10, achieved in July 2022, potentially by year’s end.
