Emma Raducanu arrives in Paris after several promising results on clay, including reaching the Round of 16 in Rome, in which she lost to Coco Gauff, as well as While she isn’t among the favorites, she can definitely cause a surprise, as she did in 2021 at the US Open. Reflecting on her improvement, former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki gave her impressions on the British star.
“I mean, it’s hard to say. Can she stay healthy? I think the main thing,” the 2018 Australian Open winner said at a TNT Sports event, via tennis365. “I think she’s really going in the right direction, I think she’s moving her way up.”
Wozniacki explained that while Raducanu has “proven she can beat great players,” the draw can make things more difficult. In that sense, the British star has projected encounters with Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, which seem a tough test for her.
However, Wozniacki believes that with her new coach, Mark Petchey, on her side, Raducanu can come back to the major conversation. “What her ceiling is, I think time will tell, but she’s proven that she can win the US Open, and if you can do it once, you can do it again. It’s just a matter of putting it together for seven straight matches,” she said.
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s gonna happen and when that’s gonna happen. But either way, being as young as she is and already having a Grand Slam under her belt is a great feat,” she added.
Wimbledon can be a more realistic goal for Raducanu
In Strasbourg, in which she lost to Danielle Collins, Raducanu suffered a back injury scare, but she is ready to compete in Paris. Whether she is in top form or not, the 22-year-old is more comfortable on grass than on clay.
Raducanu has already accepted a wild-card to play in Berlin as preparation for the Championships. She’ll be looking to surpass her best Grand Slam run from last year, when she reached the fourth round before falling to qualifier Lulu Sun.