Emma Raducanu Regains British No 1 Ranking After Victory at Queen’s
The Lawn Tennis Association has confirmed that Emma Raducanu will reclaim her position as Britain’s top female tennis player for the first time in two years, following her impressive win over Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia at Queen’s. According to The Guardian, Raducanu’s 6-4, 6-1 victory has propelled her to world No 35 in the live rankings, allowing her to leapfrog Katie Boulter, who fell to the fifth seed, Diana Shnaider, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
As reported by The Guardian, Raducanu has not held the top spot in British tennis since June 2023, when she was recovering from surgeries to her wrists and ankle. Her ranking plummeted after she missed a total of eight months in 2023, causing her to fall out of the top 300. However, with her recent form, Raducanu is set to reclaim her position as British No 1 next week.
"It’s nice, but I wouldn’t say it’s the most important thing for me," Raducanu told The Guardian. "Having Katie in front, it was nice for me to have something to chase. Now I’m sure she’s going to enjoy that with me. The grass season is still young, and so is the rest of the season. But regardless, we have a healthy competition between us two. I want to see her do well; she wants to see me do well. It was nice to also play doubles with her this week."
As noted by The Guardian, Raducanu’s victory over Sramkova was marked by her exceptional return game, which immediately put her opponent under pressure. Despite a brief loss of momentum in the first set, Raducanu regained her composure and closed out the set with an authoritative service game. In the second set, Raducanu dominated from the baseline, establishing a 5-1 lead and securing the win.
The Guardian reports that Raducanu is now joined by Mark Petchey and her previous coach Nick Cavaday, who are working with her throughout the grass-court season. This development appears to be a positive step forward for the 22-year-old, who has been working to regain her form and confidence.
Raducanu had previously revealed that her preparation for Queen’s had been disrupted by her continued issues with back spasms, which had affected her days before the French Open at the Strasbourg Open. However, she has looked in good shape this week, starting her grass-court campaign with an excellent performance in her dominant win over the qualifier Cristina Bucsa.
As per The Guardian, Raducanu’s next challenge will come on Friday, when she faces Zheng Qinwen, the top seed, who overcame McCartney Kessler in a tough three-setter late on Thursday evening. Meanwhile, Boulter, who will be ranked No 39 at best by Monday, has expressed her delight at Raducanu’s achievement, stating that it will be "fun for me to chase her now."
Boulter, as quoted in The Guardian, noted that she and Raducanu have a "healthy competition" between them, and that she is looking forward to competing with her friend and doubles partner. Raducanu, in turn, has expressed her appreciation for Boulter’s support, signing the camera: "Long live Boultercanu."
The Guardian also reports that Raducanu found it difficult to bounce back after their doubles quarter-final defeat by the top seeds Erin Routliffe and Lyudmyla Kichenok on Wednesday. However, she managed to regain her focus and secure a impressive win over Sramkova.
In conclusion, Emma Raducanu’s victory at Queen’s has earned her the top spot in British tennis, marking a significant milestone in her recovery from injury and ranking setbacks. As The Guardian notes, Raducanu’s progress will be closely watched as she prepares to face Zheng Qinwen on Friday.
