Emma Raducanu is officially Britain’s top female tennis player once again – and the timing couldn’t be better.
Emma Raducanu set to play at Wimbledon
The 22-year-old star has leapfrogged Katie Boulter in the WTA rankings, reclaiming the British No. 1 crown for the first time since 2022.
It follows a confident 6-4, 6-1 win over Rebecca Sramkova at Queen’s, while Boulter’s early exit from the tournament opened the door for a reshuffle.
Perfect timing
This latest rise marks another big step forward for Raducanu, who’s been finding her rhythm again during the grass-court season.
The 2021 US Open winner looked sharp and assured in her opening rounds at Queen’s – a huge boost ahead of Wimbledon.
She’s now pushing the top 35 in the world rankings, but despite her recent progress, she won’t be seeded at SW19.
Katie Boulter had held the British No. 1 title for the past year and continues to sit inside the WTA top 40.
All eyes on Wimbledon
Raducanu has been managing a recurring back issue since last month, which prompted her Berlin withdrawal.
“It’s been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before. It’s just a vulnerability of mine.
“I know I need to take good care of it. I need to take a break. [It] needs proper and careful management.”
She had initially chosen Berlin over Nottingham but ultimately turned down the wildcard to stay home and recover.
Her focus now is on arriving at Wimbledon in the best possible shape.
With both Raducanu and Boulter set to feature, the British spotlight is shining bright. And as far as timing goes? Emma’s couldn’t be better.
