Emma Raducanu has officially lost her title as British No.1 following a hard-fought third-round exit at Wimbledon.
The 22-year-old, who famously stormed to a US Open title in 2021, was beaten 7-6, 6-4 by world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka on Centre Court, marking both the end of her run at SW19 and a slide down the WTA rankings.
Raducanu originally entered the tournament ranked world No. 40 and exited five spots lower at No. 45. That slip saw her overtaken by compatriots Katie Boulter (now world No. 41) and rising star Sonay Kartal (No. 44), making Raducanu the British No.3 for the first time since her meteoric rise onto the global stage.
Despite the setback, Raducanu leaves Wimbledon with a degree of optimism after a much-improved campaign. She dispatched Mimi Xu and 2023 finalist Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 in both matches, before meeting the formidable Sabalenka.
The reigning Australian Open champion proved too strong in the big moments, edging out the Brit in a closely contested match that showcased Raducanu’s growing confidence and consistency.
"It’s hard to take a loss like that,” Raducanu said, fighting back tears in her post-match press conference. “At the same time, I’m playing Aryna, who is a great champion. I have to be proud of my effort.".
And there is reason for optimism. Sabalenka herself offered glowing praise for the Briton in her post-match comments, noting Raducanu’s improved mental game and hinting that a return to the top 10 may not be far off.
"She’s fighting. She’s playing much better. She’s more consistent," said the Belarusian star. "Mentally, she’s healthy. I think that’s really important. I’m pretty sure she’s getting there.".
The current number 1 even later tipped Raducanu to return to the top 10 ‘soon’.
However, while Raducanu’s campaign ended in the third round, her British rivals capitalised on their own Wimbledon performances to leapfrog her in the rankings.
Katie Boulter, now the new British No. 1, won over fans with a gritty 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win against Paula Badosa in the opening round. Although she fell in the next match to Argentina’s Solana Sierra, her ranking rise and consistent results on tour have earned her the domestic crown.
Meanwhile, Sonay Kartal was arguably the most successful of the British women at this year’s Championships. The 22-year-old advanced to the last 16, defeating 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, Viktoriya Tomova, and Diane Parry before falling to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Kartal’s breakthrough has not gone unnoticed, and her climb up the rankings signals a shift in the British tennis landscape.
Raducanu’s drop to British No.3 will sting, particularly given her rapid rise in 2021 when she captured the US Open without dropping a set as a qualifier. Since then, injuries and inconsistency have plagued her progress, but her Wimbledon 2025 performance showed signs of a player rediscovering her spark.
"It does give me confidence," Raducanu admitted. "I think the problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top.".
With the US hard-court season approaching, Raducanu will be eager to build on the positives from SW19 and reclaim her place at the top of British women’s tennis. Especially with major warm-ups like the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open approaching, she will want a solid preparations before the coveted final slam of the year returns.
For now, though, the crown sits on Katie Boulter’s head, while Kartal’s rise adds a thrilling new chapter to the story of Britain’s next tennis queen.
One thing is clear: competition at the top of British women’s tennis has never been tighter, and Emma Raducanu has all the tools to rise again.
Sean Killen is a contributing journalist for both DartsNews.com and Tennisuptodate.com, where he balances his university studies with writing news updates, player features, and match reports across both sports.
Before joining the sites, Sean built experience across student and professional media. He serves as TV News Director for Cardiff University TV (CUTV), has reported for Gair Rhydd and The Cardiff Times, and produced viral news coverage that gained international attention. His reporting spans sports, breaking news, and human-interest features, and he’s worked across platforms including print, online, radio, and video.
Sean has followed the ATP and WTA tennis tours closely for years, with a growing interest in darts through the Premier League and World Championship circuits. He brings a sharp eye for storytelling, a commitment to accuracy, and a passion for making niche sports accessible to wider audiences.
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