Just weeks ago, British number one Emma Raducanu shocked fans by withdrawing from Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals squad, opting instead to compete on the WTA Tour. Granted a coveted wildcard for the Korea Open in Seoul, Raducanu has chosen to prioritize her comeback campaign over national duty. But her decision now faces a serious test. In Seoul, the 2021 US Open champion will have to battle through a brutal draw featuring two Wimbledon champions, including the reigning queen Iga Swiatek, in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash that could define her late-season surge and road back to the top.

The draw for the WTA 500 Korea Open is finally out, and it has delivered a blockbuster. Tennis fans are in for a treat as Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu are set on a collision course, with a potential quarter-final showdown looming large in Seoul. Both Grand Slam champions make their first appearances since the US Open, where Swiatek’s run ended in the last eight at the hands of Amanda Anisimova, while Raducanu bowed out against Elena Rybakina.

World No. 2 Swiatek leads the field as the top seed and will enjoy a first-round bye. She opens her campaign against Sorana Cirstea or Zhu Lin in round two, marking her highly anticipated debut in Seoul.

Raducanu, meanwhile, will have to fight her way through a tricky section. Seeded eighth after the withdrawals of Anisimova and Veronika Kudermetova, the Brit faces Jaqueline Cristian in her opener. A second-round clash with two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova could follow, a true early test of her comeback form.

If both hold their ground, fans could witness a high-octane quarter-final between Swiatek and Raducanu. The Pole is then projected to face third seed Clara Tauson in the semi-finals, setting up the possibility of a thrilling revenge encounter after Tauson stunned her at the Canadian Open earlier this summer.

On the other side, Emma Raducanu’s summer was a step forward, capped by a strong third-round run at the US Open that reignited hope in her resurgence. Now, the British No. 1 is taking on an even bolder challenge by heading to the Korea Open, a tournament that has historically brought her as much pain as promise.

Raducanu has played the Seoul event twice before, and both campaigns ended with injury heartbreak. In 2024, she looked sharp early, taking out Peyton Stearns and Yuan Yue to reach the quarterfinals, only to be stopped in her tracks. Against Daria Kasatkina, she lost the first set 6-1, received treatment on her foot, and never returned for the second.

Two years earlier, the story was eerily similar. Raducanu had made an inspired run to the semifinals with wins over Moyuka Uchijima, Yanina Wickmayer, and Magda Linette. But against Jelena Ostapenko, after splitting sets and even going a break up in the decider, a left glute injury forced her to retire, ending what could have been a title charge.

The 22-year-old now returns to Seoul seeking better luck and a clean bill of health. Her mission is clear: climb back into the world’s top 32 and regain her rhythm before the 2026 season.

If she does make it deep, a showdown with Iga Swiatek could await, a daunting prospect considering their head-to-head stands at 5-0 in the Pole’s favor.

Additionally, her choice to skip Team GB’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals sparked debate, but former coach Mark Petchey defended the decision, arguing that focusing on her singles campaign is exactly what Raducanu needs to reignite her career.

Mark Petchey backs Emma Raducanu’s BJK Cup rejection

Raducanu’s fairytale triumph at the US Open four years ago remains her crowning moment, but since then, major success has proven elusive. Her deepest run came at Wimbledon in 2024, where she reached the fourth round. This year, she reached the third round at three of the four Grand Slams, the French Open the lone exception, with her most recent campaign in New York ending in a third-round defeat.

Her former interim coach, Mark Petchey, offered insight into that loss during a chat with Bet Victor, saying, “What it said to me is everything that I hope people can see about Emma’s style of play.”

Petchey went on to emphasize the larger picture, noting, “It’s one of those matches which shows that it’s not going to be easy to win another major. But that’s what’s going to be so satisfying when she finally does.”

The Brit faces a unique challenge in today’s era, where big hitters rule the tour. Petchey acknowledged the tough competition: “We’re in an era of big hitters – we talk about the pace of shots, from both Sabalenka and Anisimova. These power players that make life difficult for Emma where they do rush her and are going to make things tricky. But it’s just motivation for her to keep working on the things that she has been doing.”

He underlined Raducanu’s ideal approach, stating, “From Emma’s point of view her best style of winning matches is up on the baseline redirecting the ball, moving it around, trying to get the opponent to move before they get a chance to set on the ball. That’s obviously something that she’s going to have to keep getting better at.”

The question is whether Raducanu can shift the dynamic and improve her record against Iga Swiatek, who could be her opponent in Seoul. Only time will now reveal if this Korea Open becomes the spark of her resurgence.