Emma Raducanu Ends Season Early
Emma Raducanu has concluded her tennis season, withdrawing from upcoming WTA tournaments in Tokyo and Hong Kong due to illness. She plans to begin her pre-season training with coach Francisco Roig, whose contract has been extended beyond 2025.
Both Raducanu’s representative and a source close to Roig confirmed that their partnership will persist into 2026. Raducanu has been unwell over the past week and had to retire during her match against Ann Li at the Wuhan Open last Tuesday. She checked her blood pressure during this match, which took place in extreme heat, before retiring at 6-1, 4-1.
Raducanu also monitored her blood pressure during a recent three-set loss to Zhu Lin at the Ningbo Open, marking her third defeat after taking the first set in her last five matches. She finishes the 2025 season ranked No. 29 after playing 50 matches, a personal best.
This ranking will likely secure her seeding for the Australian Open in January, assuming she maintains it in the coming weeks. The season highlights a more consistent performance after a rough start. Earlier in the year, Raducanu dealt with an unsettling incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships involving a man exhibiting “fixated behavior” toward her, which concluded with a restraining order after she reported it.
Since then, Raducanu has consistently won against lower-ranked players and shown her competitiveness against top athletes. However, her losses to elite players have been either one-sided or occurred after she lost advantageous positions. Raducanu and Roig have agreed that she should adopt a more aggressive style, relying on her attacking instincts and less on retrieval abilities. Her overall game has improved since they started working together in August, including narrow matches against top players like Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková and top-five player Jessica Pegula.
Transforming these match leads into victories will be a focus for the next season, with preparations starting now.
‘Establishing a Stronger Foundation’
Analysis by Senior Tennis Editor James Hansen
Emma Raducanu has built upon her comeback from three surgeries by reaching a stable level of performance while still facing challenges. Competing in 50 matches this season marks a significant achievement for a player whose career has been impacted by injuries. She has successfully navigated various challenges on and off the court, solidifying her position within the top 32, which is vital for maintaining her status in Grand Slams and prestigious tournaments.
Retaining Roig as coach has played a crucial role in her development during the latter half of the year, particularly after overcoming difficulties early in the season and a series of losses in February and March. The unsettling experience in Dubai left her feeling stressed and affected her performance.
Raducanu has adapted her play style to be more aggressive while still utilizing the counterpunching strategy that makes her tough to defeat. This adjustment has helped her secure wins against players she is expected to beat, leading to memorable moments, including a victory over Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová.
However, maintaining and defining her identity against the most formidable opponents on the WTA Tour has proven challenging. Raducanu has tested top players, including world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, but often appears overwhelmed when facing the highest-caliber competition. The challenge for Raducanu and Roig moving forward will be to maintain her current level of performance while elevating her abilities to meet her aspirations in tennis.
