ANALYSIS: From injury hell to Miami masterclass Emma Raducanu shows place at top table remains

Emma Raducanu has finally received some positive coverage this week and has shown that her place at the top table of WTA tennis remains in tact. Despite a tumultuous few years with a run to the Quarter-Finals at least at the Miami Open.

Raducanu now has a few knock on effects of this run which no doubt will stave off the need to rely on wildcards. Which have been part of the criticism surrounding the 2021 US Open champion in a Catch 22 situation, since she returned to the sport last year.

Rising to prominence back in 2021, Raducanu was the flavour of the month especially back home in the UK with tabloid press who lauded her and ascended her to super stardom after years of craving a player to join Andy Murray on the top step of British tennis.

Many near misses from Laura Robson to Johanna Konta to Heather Watson and even runs from the likes of Marcus Willis at Wimbledon and also Kyle Edmund's brief flirtation with top level tennis. They had their star but pride comes before a fall and as she started to descend, the press were quick enough to knock her down after force feeding her in many ways to the extent that she become vilified in the first place.

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Having wrist surgery, Raducanu knew it would be a long way back and in some ways she was the architect of her own demise in 2024. She decided to snub what made her in qualifying and only rely on wildcards.

This in a time where her star had waned somewhat and she was also battling with multiple Grand Slam champions for these spots including Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and briefly Angelique Kerber. Many thought Raducanu should've gone to the lower level in order to recoup some form similar to Elina Svitolina and recently Belinda Bencic.

But not defending any points has helped Raducanu to an extent. She has had sustained runs at times which have seen her rise steadily up the rankings and with periods off the sport during 2024, she heads into clay and also Wimbledon season at the best place she has been for a long time all off one run.

The doors that open include becoming British No.1 in a time where Katie Boulter has stolen the spotlight and rightfully so. She has become a steady player inside the top 30 of the WTA Rankings and at the end of last season was one of the best players in the world.

But as Diana Shnaider and even Zheng Qinwen have proven this season, that rise at the end of 2024 has directly affected 2025 results. Boulter hasn't done as well this season and heads into the Wimbledon section in the summer very much as the British No.2 likely with Raducanu back as the poster girl.

Also though it means she won't get as many ropey draws which no doubt have contributed to her demise. She is back in the top 50 and with many players including Victoria Azarenka continuing to fall around her, she will soon be a seed in tournaments such as Miami going forward.

Katie Boulter will descend from British No.1 in short order.

She won't have to think about qualifying and can go back to playing on her terms and getting some results again. But it is more than that for her.

The results this week have showed that she belongs at this level and despite all the criticism, her want for top level tennis was perhaps warranted after all. This all while not having a permanent coach currently.

She has relied on Mark Petchey this week who in theory could be a more permanent addition but he is also sought after in the media world for Tennis Channel for instance so whether he would give that up for a more full-time role with Raducanu remains to be seen.

But he is a coach who has often believed in her in quotes he has given to the media and it is what she needs in order to develop. She needs a coach who will see the weaknesses and then improve them with the addition of the belief that comes with time. As a result it is no coincidence that getting such a well versed coach in has seen her ascend.

The Emma Navarro win to start the week set the tone as she defeated a player who is a top 10 star and has built herself up in her own right to be one of the most feared players in the WTA. She also revels conditions like Miami but was no match for Raducanu.

She was easing past a formidable opponent in McCartney Kessler before injury struck the American. Perhaps the Amanda Anisimova match following wasn't the best gauge as to her current level. Anisimova unfortunately, after seeing off Mirra Andreeva, suffered with what many do and that is following it up so soon after. Forced to play only 24 hours later after having blisters, Anisimova struggled and Raducanu thrived.

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The real test it has to be said will be on Wednesday when she faces Jessica Pegula. Perhaps America's best player right now with Coco Gauff not at her best. She recently won Austin and thrives in these conditions. Having missed most of the clay, like Raducanu last year, she also wants to peak at the right time. If Raducanu can defeat her, it certainly will herald her spot back at the top table.

Pegula herself wasn't shocked unlike others at her return to form and said she deserved to be considered at the top of the sport. Perhaps Pegula was right.

Throughout all of her travails over the past 18 months, and even longer, if you include the post US Open rise and fall. It is not often considered that Raducanu had only played very little tennis when she won the US Open. So we haven't seen the best of her.

Next up for Raducanu is her biggest test yet in Jessica Pegula.

She has recently had some harrowing experiences including the stalker incident in Dubai. Some would say that apart from not wanting this to happen to anyone, it has strengthened her and has made her want it even more.

In a period of WTA Tennis where a lot of the top names are faltering and the gap between players is either stark or very small. Emma Raducanu has deserved her spot at the top table with this week's run. Being one of the most marketable names in tennis, she is a welcome addition back into the conversation.

Overall she is back to proving the doubters wrong. Something that unfortunately for her she couldn't do up to press.

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