Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, is navigating a difficult stretch in her career. A string of recent losses has caused her Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking to drop from 55 to 60. One of the biggest setbacks came earlier this month at Indian Wells, where she suffered a surprising first-round defeat to Moyuka Uchijima. Now, Raducanu is under pressure to regain her form as she looks ahead to the Miami Open.
The British tennis star missed last year’s Miami Open due to injury, making this year’s tournament a crucial opportunity to reclaim lost ranking points and build momentum. She is set to face Sayaka Ishii in the opening round on Wednesday.
Much of Raducanu’s current WTA ranking is based on her strong performances during last year’s grass-court season. She reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, earning 240 points, and had notable runs to the semi-finals at the Nottingham Open (98 points) and quarter-finals in Eastbourne (108 points).
Beyond Miami, Raducanu has multiple chances to rebuild her ranking. The Billie Jean King Cup presents another key opportunity to find her rhythm ahead of a packed season. She’ll also be aiming to improve upon last year’s early exit at the Madrid Open, where she fell in the first round to Maria Lourdes Carle, collecting only 10 points.
Raducanu will also return to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she earned 108 points last year by reaching the quarter-finals. Another significant event on her schedule is the Mubadala City DC Open in Washington, where she also reached the quarter-finals in 2024, securing 108 points.
Despite her past triumph at the US Open, Raducanu’s title defense ended abruptly last year with an opening-round loss to Sofia Kenin. Determined to rewrite that narrative, she will be looking to make a deep run this time. Following the US Open, she’ll decide whether to compete in the Asian swing of the WTA 500 season. Her previous success in Asia, including a quarter-final appearance at the Korea Open, added 108 points to her ranking.
Though this period has been challenging, Raducanu remains determined to rediscover the form that made her a Grand Slam champion. With several key tournaments ahead, she has plenty of opportunities to turn things around and reclaim her place among the sport’s elite.
