Emma Raducanu should attempt to stay “injury free” however she is enjoying the “right kind of tennis” forward of the US Open, believes Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong.
The 22-year-old has been trying again to her finest thus far this season, having reached the semi-finals of the Citi Open in Washington final week. She was denied a repeat of the 2021 US Open last in opposition to Leylah Fernandez after shedding to Anna Kalinskaya.
She additionally reached the semi-finals of the doubles occasion alongside Elena Rybakina earlier than pulling out by way of sickness.
Raducanu will make her first look on the dual-venue format Nationwide Financial institution Open in Canada since 2022 earlier than heading to the Cincinnati Open, which is going down from 5-18 August – dwell on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
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Highlights of the quarter-final match between Raducanu and Maria Sakkari in Washington
Chatting with Sky Sports activities Information, Keothavong mentioned: “I believed she had a reasonably good grass-court season and has carried that confidence into the beginning of the North American hard-court swing. Seeing her win matches in robust situations, serving very well, exhibiting actually good composure on the market. It is all positives and indicators that she’s shifting in the appropriate route. She loves this a part of the 12 months!
“Hard courts are where she’s most comfortable. She’s had some fantastic wins over the likes of Maria Sakkari and also former Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka as well. There are lots of positives despite the loss in the semi-finals. I thought she still played pretty well. She also made the semi-finals in the doubles so she’s getting matches under her belt and this will all just be good preparation in the lead-up to the US Open.”
Raducanu additionally reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final on the Miami Open, quarter-finals at Queen’s Membership and the third spherical at Wimbledon the place she misplaced out to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in one of many matches of the match.
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Highlights of the final 16 match between Raducanu and Osaka
After dropping to British No 3, Raducanu’s run in Washington ensured she as soon as once more overtook Katie Boulter to turn out to be the top-ranked British participant.
She ended Boulter’s two-year run on the prime of the home standings in June however then slipped again to 46 on this planet after shedding a detailed tussle with Sabalenka on the All England Membership. Raducanu is at present ranked No 33 as she seems to safe a seeding for subsequent month’s US Open.
“I thought she played well at Wimbledon,” remarked Keothavong. “She went out to the world number one in Aryna Sabalenka but that match was one of the best matches of the Championship. The result didn’t go her way but the performance was there and there were signs that she was playing the right kind of tennis.”
Raducanu has been and not using a coach in North America amid uncertainty over the way forward for her partnership with Mark Petchey and has solely hitting companion Alexis Canter in her nook, however there was no lack of route in a few of her performances.
“She’s 22 years of age and that’s still very young in women’s tennis and she achieved so much so young but now it’s just getting comfortable with where she’s at, putting the hard work in – which she does – and just getting as many matches under her belt,” mentioned Keothavong. “Making sure that she’s trying to apply herself and do the right things on the match court, which last week we saw her do, and most importantly remaining injury free.
“I feel that is the largest problem for her, turning into a extra sturdy athlete and with the ability to compete on the highest stage week in, week out.”
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Raducanu participated in a soccer rondo with coach Mark Petchey throughout the Madrid Open
British ladies’s tennis is in a superb house
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Sky Sports activities Tennis’ Tim Henman is longing for titles from Radacanu in 2025, however says she’s had her profession again to entrance
Keothavong’s crew is one among eight nations set to compete at this 12 months’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen between 16-21 September.
The Brits will play Japan within the quarter-finals on September 18. Ought to they arrive by way of that tie, they’ll go on to play the winner of USA vs Kazakhstan.
Keothavong has chosen a robust crew for the showpiece occasion of the ladies’s crew tennis calendar, together with Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal and Raducanu, in addition to Jodie Burrage, whereas Fran Jones checked off one other profession milestone this week after breaking into the WTA prime 100 for the primary time in her profession by profitable the Palermo Women Open.
“It’s great to have four women inside the world’s top 100 all competing against each other vying for that British number one spot. And they all get on well with each other too,” mentioned Keothavong.
“As captain of the Billie Jean King Cup team I’m in a privileged position that my best players have put themselves out there and are motivated to do well in this particular competition.
“We’re up in opposition to Japan in September the place the finals is going down in Shenzhen in China. There’s nonetheless a good bit of time and much more tennis that the gamers must play till we get there but it surely’s shaping up properly.”
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