The grass-court season kicks off this week, and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu will make her return at the WTA250 event in Nottingham. In June 2021, an 18-year-old Raducanu received a main-draw wildcard here, marking her WTA Tour debut, where she fell to compatriot Harriet Dart in her first WTA match.
That marked the start of Raducanu’s fairy-tale second half of 2021, as she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon as a wildcard, and then made history at the US Open by coming through qualifying and winning 10 straight matches for her maiden Grand Slam title, becoming the first qualifier to win a major in the Open Era.
Raducanu retired in the first round of Nottingham in 2022 due to injury, and she missed the entire second half of the 2023 season due to wrist surgery. Three years later, Raducanu returns to the Nottingham Tennis Centre with a clean bill of health, eager to compete in front of home fans and vie for the trophy.
“I obviously missed the grass-court season last year – a special time for all Brits. Playing in Nottingham will be a great way to kick things off, and I hope to carry that momentum throughout the grass swing,” said the former major winner. “Nottingham holds a special place in my career. I love it here because it’s where everything started.”
“Before getting the wildcard into Wimbledon and reaching the fourth round, I played my first WTA match here in Nottingham and then did the ITF 100k. Who knows what would have happened if I didn’t get that wildcard, let alone what happened at the US Open. It was a butterfly effect of little moments you can’t predict.”
Over the weekend, Raducanu felt the love from the home crowd, meeting many fans and children during a family event at the tennis center. It’s her first home event in two years, and she’s thrilled to play in front of British spectators again. “It was great to see so many people come out to the practice courts over the weekend,” she said.
“It feels amazing, because playing tournaments around the world – I’m lucky to say that I have fans wherever I go – but when you come back home, everyone is rooting for you, and it’s different. A lot of times, you don’t realize how many people are behind you, so to come here and see everyone cheering me on, it’s a great feeling.”
Raducanu’s return to grass marks another milestone in her recovery from long-term injuries. The Brit underwent two wrist and ankle surgeries last year, ending her 2023 season. In April, she helped lead Great Britain to victory over France in the Billie Jean King Cup, going undefeated in her two singles matches. Despite skipping Roland Garros, the 21-year-old tennis star is ready to regain top form.
Raducanu explained, “Physically, I feel very strong. My coach and I put in a lot of work during the months after the surgeries, and I’m very healthy now. My wrist feels better than ever, and I have no doubts or concerns when I hit.”
“Having three surgeries was really tough; there were months where I couldn’t do much because the surgeries didn’t go as planned. I didn’t start training and hitting until December. With the wrist surgery, I couldn’t use crutches, so one arm was in a cast, one in a splint, and my ankle was in a boot. I had to rely on one knee to move around – not easy for an active young person to be inactive.”
Raducanu initially planned to compete in the WTA500 Strasbourg event the week before Roland Garros and then play the French Open, but considering the length of the grass season followed by the hard courts of the Americas and Asia later in the year, she opted out of Roland Garros. “Not playing Roland Garros gave me a good break to focus on fitness work and some grass court practice – though it’s been raining almost every day here!”
Tonight at 9 pm, Raducanu will face Japanese player Eri Hozumi in the first round of the WTA250 Nottingham. Training with two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur over the weekend has provided a significant boost to her grass-court preparations. “I’ve had a few days on grass, probably more than most players, and Jabeur is experienced and has achieved a lot. She’s such a great and genuine person, and I think everyone can see that on and off the court.”