ANALYSIS: Emma Raducanu receives 12th wildcard since return: Is it still warranted or is a reality check needed?

Emma Raducanu has long been the talk of the tennis world back to her 2021 US Open triumph but the fanfare it led to has seen the Brit receive her fair share of opportunities. But nearly four years on, are they still warranted anymore?

Raducanu has received an astonishing 12 wildcards out of the 16 tournaments she has played since her return. Part of that of course is warranted given she was a big name returning after a long time out. But also another side to the debate was that she should have to go through qualifying and grind on the smaller courts in order to get back.

Even at Grand Slams, the days of Raducanu who is a known ticket seller playing on the big courts aside from Wimbledon are basically gone. For certain tournaments, a wildcard for the Brit is always going to happen. E.g British Grass court tournaments and also for instance IMG (her agent) who run Madrid and Miami.

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But also a lot of criticism gets levied in her direction merely for existing in this sphere where she gets these chances. As many have said, she is not going to decline a wildcard to a tournament if given one instead of having a one shot qualifying and then going out.

But also there does come a time where it does hinder her development. For instance in Doha this next week, she has been given a wildcard. Who is up first though, Ekaterina Alexandrova followed likely by Aryna Sabalenka.

This means that despite being given this chance to play, she encounters huge names early as she is unseeded and doesn't have protection from the Sabalenka, Swiatek train of stars. It does make for popcorn clashes for draw makers and those planning tournaments. But as she showed at the Australian Open, she is not quite ready for Swiatek for instance.

Emma Navarro wasn't either or Eva Lys. But in a state where Raducanu herself is losing sponsors and financial clout with list makers of top female athletes, there are new stars emerging and her chances will eventually run out.

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Zheng Qinwen for instance who has long been a top star has emerged and taken her spot at Dior as their brand ambassador. Murmerings too about Porsche cutting their ties. The proof to that will be if she plays the Stuttgart clay court opener where she would receive a wildcard.

Albeit Raducanu has not returned from pregnancy, she perhaps needs to look to Abu Dhabi finalist Belinda Bencic for some inspiration. The Swiss ace has grinded on WTA 125k tournaments for the last few months to get into a position to return after becoming a mother.

Belinda Bencic albeit after pregnancy is an example as inspiration.

With that winning feeling, she has made incremental gains and could gain one of the biggest titles of her career later today. Raducanu though unfortunately for her doesn't swim in those waters commercially which is kind of the problem.

Being a big name in itself does not give you the chance to do an Emma Navarro or a Belinda Bencic and revive yourself lower down. It would be seen as a move that doesn't make commercial sense to sponsors and agents to see her play a Limoges or Mumbai. But for wins perhaps it is needed.

It is undoubted despite some people calling her run a fluke that Raducanu has the talent. But it is very much about being given the chance to show it now. Matches against Sabalenka and Swiatek who are streets ahead right now won't do anything for her and she even showed when she played in Nottingham and other smaller British grass tournaments last year that the wins give her confidence.

Last year saw her star on clay for the British Billie Jean King Cup team and as we head towards that juncture of the season, she will aim to play it all this time. She also still needs to find a new coach, something too that has plagued her.

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Albeit this time, it wasn't her own doing. Nick Cavaday, a long time ally has health issues that he needs to get sorted so couldn't commit to the tour. This means Raducanu again is looking for a new coach.

But she is also looking for answers as to how she can get to the summit of tennis again. Wildcards only serve to add to the vitriol surrounding her based off a run four years ago that saw her doomed in the eyes of the tennis public from the start.

The fall off being craved by fans who were sick of the constant reporting of Raducanu and now they've got it, it is up to her to provide the redemption arc to prove all of the doubters wrong. She can't help being given the opportunity. But there is only a short shelf life when it comes to these opportunities.

Bianca Andreescu who comparily had more success to Raducanu before her own injury troubles for instance got wildcards early on and now only gets them for smaller tournaments so while these players will always be commodities, Raducanu may have to back it up in the rankings to keep being given the chance.

The question is: Will the wildcards dry up for Raducanu.

Given she defends very little in the clay court season, the chance again to rise towards the top 30 is there and would mean less chance to meet the big names and the vitriol surrounding wildcards will cease aside from at big events when needed.

Are the wildcards too much? It could be said they are but she is one of the top players who is a household name all around the world and commercially these tournaments will want her. But is the need there to perhaps take a reality check and go and play lower level? Yes. There are only so many matches you lose before you start to question what you're doing.

Especially in a season where Raducanu has targeted playing every week. That hasn't happened as such yet but to do that, she needs to get wins and keep flying up the rankings. Singapore showed that she does have the desire to play in the WTA 250 tournaments, but she may need to go lower to achieve the Navarro type rise again.

A point perhaps to add though on Raducanu is that she never really had the rise in the first place. She won a US Open on debut and never really played below the ceiling of the top so the education is not there for her to really thrive from the bottom up.

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