Emma Raducanu first gained widespread recognition in 2021 when she won the US Open, becoming the first British woman to secure a singles Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977. A year later, she achieved a career-high WTA singles ranking of world No. 10 and was also ranked the top female player in Britain. However, her rise was followed by a challenging period marked by recurring injuries and inconsistent form. By April of the previous year, she had slipped to 303 in the rankings. Despite that, she staged an impressive comeback, climbing back into the Top 60 later that year. Reflecting on her achievement, Raducanu noted, “I’m top 60 and I’ve played less than 15 events, which is pretty unheard of,” expressing pride in her progress.
Currently ranked 49th, Raducanu is in close contention to overtake Katie Boulter, the present British No. 1, in the WTA rankings. The gap between them stands at 252 points, and with major events like the Madrid Open, Italian Open, and French Open coming up, there are plenty of opportunities for Raducanu to earn points. Since she played very few clay matches last year and only has 10 ranking points to defend, she has a significant opportunity to improve her standing if she wins even a few matches in these tournaments. Reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid or Rome could push her into the WTA Top 32, giving her a possible seeded spot at Roland Garros.
Katie Boulter, who has held the top British spot since June 2023, reached her career-high ranking of No. 23 in late 2024. However, this season hasn’t been her strongest, as she currently holds a 5-5 win-loss record. Despite the pressure of potentially losing her position, Boulter remains composed, stating that she doesn’t feel any pressure and is proud of her unique path in the sport. She emphasizes staying healthy as her main priority and believes the rankings will follow.
Interestingly, Raducanu has already surpassed Boulter in the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), which evaluates players based on current form rather than a 52-week rolling point system like the WTA. Raducanu ranks 25th in the UTR standings following her quarterfinal appearance in Miami, while Boulter sits at 38.
Boulter’s clay court experience is limited—she has competed in just four main draw matches on this surface. In Madrid, she faces a challenging draw starting with Katerina Siniakova and a potential second-round encounter with French Open champion Jasmine Paolini. Sonay Kartal, another British player ranked 60, is also close behind and in the same section of the draw.
Meanwhile, Raducanu has been handed a tough draw in Madrid. She opens against Suzan Lamens from the Netherlands and may face Marta Kostyuk in the second round, with a possible third-round match against Paula Badosa. She is in the same half of the draw as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Although clay is not her favorite surface, Raducanu is determined to deliver a strong performance. She recently took a short break after the Miami Open and was training in Los Angeles with coach Mark Petchey before traveling to Spain.
Former British No. 1 Laura Robson expressed confidence in Raducanu’s potential on clay, suggesting that it’s an ideal surface for developing strategic aspects of the game. She noted that playing on clay can teach players how to manage matches tactically and adapt to variable playing conditions, which differ from tournament to tournament. Robson also praised Raducanu’s progress in the past year, pointing out how impressive her ranking rise has been given the time she missed due to injury.
With several major tournaments approaching and the competition among British players heating up, the question remains: Can Raducanu reclaim her spot as Britain’s top player, or will Boulter manage to hold onto her title?