Unfortunately, Emma Raducanu did not receive a wildcard entry for the Australian Open. Despite being a former US Open champion, her protected ranking of 103 was not sufficient to secure her a spot in the upcoming grand slam tournament in Melbourne. This is due to her extended break from the tour due to surgeries on her wrists and ankle.
The 21-year-old Briton’s status as a former grand slam title winner and one of the most high-profile female players in the sport counts in her favour but most wildcards usually go to home players.
If Raducanu does not receive a wildcard and there are not enough higher-ranked players withdrawing to secure her spot, she will have to qualify. This is the same path she took to achieve a sensational victory at the 2021 US Open.
Fortunately, despite previous concerns about her progress, she has intensified her training in the last few weeks and seems to be on schedule for a comeback at the beginning of the upcoming season. Raducanu has been absent from competition since the WTA tournament in Stuttgart in April and her current ranking has dropped to 296.
This is 54 positions lower than the previous top-ranked player in the world and Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki, who received a wildcard. Wozniacki returned to the sport last summer after taking a break of three and a half years to have two children.
Additional players receiving invitations to the tournament, starting on January 14th, include Australian athletes Kimberly Birrell, Olivia Gadecki, and Taylah Preston.
Source: theguardian.com
