Emma Raducanu started the 2024 season outside the Top 300, but she managed to pull things up a bit in the later stages and finished the year inside the Top 60. Considering her massive jump, the former British number one, Tim Henman, had said Raducanu moving back inside the world’s “top 50, top 30 in 2025” is what he thinks is “completely realistic.” Raducanu’s main goal this season has been to “play more” than last year. We’re into the fifth month of this season, and guess what? She has already taken part in eight tournaments this season.

It has been a long time since the tennis fans have seen her appearing in so many events at the early stages of the season. Not only that, Raducanu also recorded her best result in a WTA 1000 event when she made it to the QF in Miami in March this year. Owing to her impressive performances, Henman yet again shared a few kind words for this 22-year-old tennis star. What did he say?

Emma Raducanu defeated the likes of Emma Navarro, Amanda Anisimova, and a few others on her way to the QF at the Miami Open. In the QF, she went down to America’s Jessica Pegula in a thrilling three-setter [4-6,7-6(3),2-6]. However, despite this defeat by such a narrow margin, Raducanu said, “I’m really proud of how I fought, I competed well throughout the match. Despite losing today, I can take some good positives from this week and look forward now. It wasn’t easy and I played some really good tennis to get here, so it was nice to just have that feeling of playing pretty well again.” She felt this competitive spirit was missing from her game in the last few months.

At that time, even Tim Henman hailed her fighting spirit, saying, “She fought so hard…there is no doubt that Raducanu will be take so many positives from her run in Miami.” Although Raducanu couldn’t do much in Madrid and she was defeated in her second match by Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in yet another three-setter, Henman was seen highlighting the positives from her incredible comeback in the women’s Tour during an interview with TNT. “I was just so pleased to see Emma really out there competing and I think showing better physical endurance. She played a lot of tournaments this year and hasn’t necessarily had the success after the Australian Open. But the fact that she was just out on the match court, competing against the other best players in the world, is a really good sign.“

Raducanu (49)  currently has a win-loss record of 8-8 this season and she has already put her name inside the Top 50. Highlighting all these, Henman further added, “And because she’s such a good tennis player, the results will come. Sometimes you have to remain patient and deal with the bumps in the road. But the way she played Miami, the second-round win against [eighth seed] Emma Navarro was brilliant. To win that match 7-6 in the third when Navarro served for the match was really impressive.”

Tim Henman has always been a big fan of Raducanu. In 2021, after seeing her make history by becoming the first qualifier to reach a grand slam final she hailed her performance against Maria Sakkari as “simply stunning.”

Interesting Fact: Emma Raducanu defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez by 6-4,6-3 to become the first qualifier to win a major title. With her heroics at the 2021 US Open, she also became the first British woman to win a singles major since Virginia Wade (1977).

Is Raducanu slowly and steadily getting back to her vintage form? In March, Henman made yet another bold statement claiming, “Touch wood she doesn’t have any of the little injuries that can keep her out of tournament play, and she can continue to build on this because there’s no doubt in my mind, she’s a great player, she should be back knocking on the door of top 30 seeded at Slams, top 20, if she stays healthy.” 

Now, with the big clay-court event knocking at the doors and it will then be followed by the grass-court swing. Does Raducanu have a real chance of climbing up the ladder in the ranking with some impressive performances in the next few months?

Tennis experts make predictions for Emma Raducanu’s upcoming tournaments

In 2024, during Great Britain’s matchup against France in Rouen for the BJK Cup qualifiers, Emma Raducanu claimed that clay isn’t the surface where she feels the most comfortable. Instead, she prefers playing on the faster surfaces. Raducanu played only 6 matches on clay last year, with two wins at the BJK Cup for Great Britain, and it was followed by a couple of wins in Stuttgart.

Recently, after losing her match against Kostyuk in Madrid, Raducanu admitted, “I think it’s positive to get through and play two matches on the outdoor clay courts. I would say that it is pretty noticeable to me that I don’t necessarily feel very comfortable, but I think that’s something that I can improve on and work on. And it is my second proper clay ­season and the first one in three years.”

The good news is: Emma Raducanu is now all set to play in the main draw of the French Open for just the second time in her career. Her only appearance at Roland Garros was in 2022 when she reached the second round. What are her chances of excelling in this mega clay court event this time?

Now, the former number one, Jim Courier, claimed that the clay season is about “building blocks” for Raducanu ahead of the grass swing. “What I do hope is that it’s able to last at least through the grass-court season. No one’s expecting her to play well on clay; it’s not a natural surface for her.” He also highlighted the changes that Mark Petchey has brought in her game but now the question is: Can Raducanu bring out her A-game in the next two Slams?