A Long Road Back to Competition
Emma Raducanu is finally ready to return to professional tennis, confirming her place in Britain's squad for the United Cup team competition in Sydney, which runs from 1 to 10 January 2027. The 2021 US Open champion has been sidelined since mid-June after suffering a stress fracture of the shin, an injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon just two weeks after reaching her first grass-court final at Queen's Club, where she lost to Croatia's Donna Vekic.
The 23-year-old considered returning during the Asian swing this autumn but ultimately held off, a decision that turned out to be strategically smart. By staying out for at least six months, Raducanu qualified for a special ranking of 38, which reflects her position in the world rankings at the time of her Wimbledon withdrawal. That protected ranking will allow her to enter eight events next season, including two Grand Slams and five WTA 1000 tournaments, a package that her actual ranking of 107 would not have unlocked.
What to Expect at the United Cup
Raducanu's special ranking makes her Britain's number one player for the United Cup, where she will partner Arthur Fery alongside teammates Francesca Jones, Jan Choinski, Neal Skupski, and Olivia Nicholls. Britain have been drawn in a group with Australia and France in Sydney, meaning Raducanu could face top-40 players Talia Gibson and Diane Parry.
Since resuming training in early September, her sessions with head coach Andrew Richardson and LTA national coach Alex Ward have been steadily building in intensity. A warm-weather training block, likely in the Middle East, is expected before January.
TennisDraw users tracking Raducanu's Australian Open prospects will want to keep a close eye on how she performs in Sydney first.
