Why Emma Raducanu won't appear in first qualifying since 2021 US Open as Abu Dhabi Open lifeline given
WTA
Emma Raducanu was set to play qualifying at a tournament for the first time since the 2021 US Open where she famously won but has been bailed out as her wildcard from qualifying has suddenly been upgraded at the Abu Dhabi Open.
An eleventh hour decision from the organisers but could feasibly see her draw the likes of Elena Rybakina who is involved over the next week albeit if she would've gone through qualifying, she potentially could've done anyway.
On Thursday, it was announced that she had received a qualifying wildcard for the WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi. But when the qualifying draw was released on Friday, she was absent.
This led to some thinking she had ditched qualifying which was the case multiple times in 2024 including most of the clay court season where a cluster of players awaited wildcards but then some played qualifying and others didn't.
But alas she will learn her opponent later today as her name has now cropped up in the main draw. On her debut last year, she lost to Ons Jabeur in the Last 16.
She will hope to build on Singapore with wins after admitting she felt she was playing better than Melbourne but in this case she did not get the rub of the green.
"To be honest, I don’t know what’s next for me. I feel like a lot of things kind of changed in the last week," Raducanu said.
“So I think I just need to regroup and get some advice what [events] I should play next, but I’m ready to go pretty much straight away. I’m ready to keep building.
“I just have to take that positive [from the match] and, when I look at it practically, realistically and unemotionally, I think ‘okay, my level is improving’.
“I’m not actually sure what I’m going to do from here. It kind of depends what I play. I love Singapore though, as a place. It’s a shame I can’t stay here longer. It is what it is."
What is next is in fact the main draw of Abu Dhabi as she aims to bounce back quickly.
Emma Raducanu's Abu Dhabi wildcard has been upgraded from qualifying to main draw after some movement in the entry lists.
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) February 1, 2025
She will learn her first-round opponent later today.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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