Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, has decided to forgo her participation in the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Instead, she plans to return to London to analyze her early exit at the Qatar Open. Raducanu faced a setback in the opening round, losing to Anhelina Kalinina after squandering a set point in a second-set tie-break.
The British No. 7 was granted a wild card for the first WTA 1000 event of the season in Doha. However, she has struggled since her return from injury, suffering four defeats in seven matches. Reflecting on her performance, Raducanu admitted, 'I just struggled with the timing of the ball, and I think it's going to come with more time, practice, as well as matches.'
Raducanu also expressed the need to improve her tournament scheduling and gain more match experience. She emphasized the importance of practice and hinted that she would focus on honing her skills before determining her next steps.
Although currently ranked 262 in the world, Marion Bartoli, a former Wimbledon champion, believes that Raducanu has the potential to return to the top 10. Bartoli noted Raducanu's fatigue towards the end of the match and highlighted the need for a comprehensive analysis by her team. Bartoli stated, 'A huge debrief has to be done with her team as to what's going on now that she's been able to play a few tournaments back to back and really come up with a plan because you can see some of the shots are still there.'
Raducanu's recent tournament results display a mixed performance. In the ASB Classic, she won a close match against Elena-Gabriela Ruse but lost to Elina Svitolina in the last 16. At the Australian Open, she defeated Shelby Rogers in the first round but fell to Yafan Wang in the second round. In the Abu Dhabi Open, Raducanu overcame Marie Bouzkova but succumbed to Ons Jabeur in the round of 16. Finally, at the Qatar Open, she faced a disappointing defeat against Anhelina Kalinina.
Her performance in the Qatar Open drew criticism from former British No. 1 Laura Robson, who highlighted Raducanu's high number of unforced errors. Robson reflected, 'Forty-eight unforced errors - that's where you start when you debrief the match. That's a sign of a very tough day in the office.' Robson emphasized the need for Raducanu to improve her consistency and shot selection to minimize errors.
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Overall, Raducanu's decision to withdraw from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to reflect on her recent performances demonstrates her commitment to analyzing and improving her game. With the support of her team and continued dedication, there is no doubt that she has the potential to achieve great success in the future. Tennis enthusiasts can look forward to following Raducanu's journey as she aims to regain her form and climb back up the rankings.
