Emma Raducanu could be set for a big end to 2024, with the door ajar for the 2021 US Open champion to secure a big rankings breakthrough.
Raducanu came under fire in recent weeks as she opted against a busy tournament schedule ahead of the final Grand Slam of the tennis year, with the decision backfiring as she crashed out of the US Open in the first round.
The 21-year-old was initially on the entry list for qualifying at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto but opted against playing in that event as she flew home to prepare at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London.
A defeat against Sofia Kenin in her first match in New York saw plenty of criticism flow in Raducanu’s direction and inspired the Brit to suggest she would be revising her approach moving forward.
“I’m just going to go back to the drawing board and train and analyse where I went wrong and try and improve for the rest of the season,” said Raducanu after her defeat against Kenin.
“Obviously, the slams are over for this year, but it’s not actually that long until Australia comes around again.
“I would have preferred to probably play a little bit more before coming into the US Open,” she said.
“I know when I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good, you feel like everything’s automatic.
“I can learn from it. And, you know, manage my schedule slightly differently.
“It wasn’t just me. It was more of like a collective call and that’s what happened, and I can’t really change it.”
Now Raducanu has a chance to string a run of tournaments together in Asia, as she will open her campaign in the Korea Open on Tuesday with a first round match against Peyton Stearns.
Victory in that match would push Raducanu would push Raducanu back into the top 60 of the WTA rankings and se has a big chance to make even more progress in Seoul after a host of star names withdrew from the event.
Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegular and Elena Rybakina are among those who have pulled out of the tournament, giving Raducanu a chance to collected a haul of WTA Ranking points.
A run to the quarter-finals at the Korea Open would push her back into the top 50 of the rankings and her position could be even more healthy by the end of the year.
With no ranking points dropping off her current total until next January, Radurcanu has a big chance to push for a return to the top 30 of the WTA Rankings if she performs well in Seoul and the WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan.
She may even have a chance to overtake Katie Boulter and reclaim the British No 1 ranking if she takes her opportunities on the Asian swing of the WTA Tour.
Meanwhile, Raducanu and Boulter are set to lead Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga in November.
Both have been named in the team for the event, which takes place from November 13 to 20, along with Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls.
Britain open their campaign against Germany on November 15, with the winners to face defending champions Canada in the quarter-finals.
Raducanu starred in the qualifiers in April, winning two matches as Britain upset France on clay, and is part of a strong leading pair along with 36th-ranked Boulter.
Britain reached the semi-finals two years ago but needed a wild card into the Finals as hosts in Glasgow, and this is the first time they have qualified on merit since the current format was introduced.
Captain Anne Keothavong said: “We are really looking forward to the Finals in Malaga after qualifying following our fantastic weekend in France in April.
“Our team have created excellent memories over the last couple of years and will relish the opportunity in November. There is still a lot of tennis to be played and changes can be made up until the day before our first match.”
Keothavong will hope first of all that all the players stay fit and available over the next two months of the season.
There is room for her to make tactical changes, so Sonay Kartal, who won her first WTA Tour title in Tunisia on Sunday and broke into the top 100, could yet play herself into the team.
