“Extreme and different”- Emma Raducanu gets honest about the struggles of switching from clay to grass

Emma Raducanu Opens Up on ‘Extreme’ Challenges of Clay-to-Grass Transition

Emma Raducanu candidly described the transition from clay to grass as “extreme and different” during a press conference at the WTA 500 HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club on June 9, 2025, highlighting the physical and mental struggles of adapting to the grass season. The 2021 US Open champion, ranked No. 34, explained, “The change from clay to grass is pretty extreme. Clay is high intensity, long rallies, and you’re sliding around, whereas grass is so different, low bounces, quick points,” per Express.co.uk. She added that the shift requires a complete recalibration, noting, “It’s like learning a new sport in some ways, and you’ve got to adjust your whole game,” per The Guardian.

Raducanu’s preparation was hampered by recurring back spasms, limiting her grass practice to just “two or three days” before Queen’s, where she defeated a qualifier 6-4, 7-5 in singles and, with Katie Boulter, won their doubles opener 6-4, 6-2 against Xinyu Jiang and Fang-Hsien Wu, per BBC Sport. She admitted the timing was tough, saying, “It’s always a bit of a shock to the system… my expectations are pretty low because I haven’t had much time on grass,” per The Independent. Her 2024 grass success, including a Wimbledon fourth-round run and Nottingham semi-final, gives her confidence despite the challenges, per wtatennis.com.

The 22-year-old faces Cristina Bucsa next in singles, with a potential clash against Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova looming, per Sky Sports. Raducanu’s honesty about the “extreme” surface switch, compounded by her injury, resonated with fans on X, like @RaducanuNews, who praised her resilience. Her packed schedule, including Berlin (June 16-22) and Eastbourne (June 23-29) before Wimbledon (June 30-July 13), underscores her determination to master the transition, per LTA.org.uk.