After missing a majority of the 2023 season due to injuries, Emma Raducanu was dubbed to get back to her best as she came back this year rejuvenated. However, things haven’t gone the way she would’ve liked. The British star had one of the worst seasons of her career this year, as she finished the year empty-handed without a single title. In the 34 matches that she played this season, Raducanu managed to win just 21 of them, a figure that is low as per the standards set by her. With the 2024 season done and dusted, she has now reflected on a major cause of concern for her poor form.

The Briton came into instant limelight after clinching the 2021 US Open as a qualifier. Subsequently, her off-court endeavors grew exponentially, which eventually affected her on-court performances. During an interview earlier today, Raducanu herself admitted that.

“I think now I’m a lot more structured. I’ll be like: ‘OK, I have this time where one hour we will talk about business. And now I’m going to go train for the rest of the week’. Also I think I’ve learned how to say no a bit more. Initially, I felt really bad for letting people down. I’d always want to do extra for whatever partner or magazine or whatever I’m shooting for,” Raducanu was quoted as saying by independent.co.uk.

Interestingly, Raducanu became one of the world’s most marketable sporting stars after her US Open triumph in 2021. Additionally, her commercial partnerships also helped her enter the Forbes list of highest-earning athletes. But while she made it to the top 10 list in Forbes, Raducanu’s on-court performances took a beating. The Briton now wants to switch her focus back to the game, putting the off-court commitments aside.

She has already laid down her goals for the 2025 season. Raducanu wants to enjoy her game while eyeing a rise in the WTA rankings.

Emma Raducanu is at the turning point of her career

Owing to her poor performances this year, Emma Raducanu failed to make it to the top 50 in the WTA rankings. She is currently positioned at the 57th spot. Once ranked as high as Number 10 in the world, Raducanu is looking to get back to her best and be among the top players in the world.

Highlighting her goals for the next season, she revealed, “I’d say that was a bit of a turning point where I was just like: ‘OK, next year, what do I want for myself?’ I was really creative. I was playing the piano, I was painting, kind of exploring my artistic side a bit. It just got me thinking. That final foot injury just had me like: ‘I really want to stay healthy next year. I really want to make sure that I’m consistently doing the physical stuff.’ Because every time I went on a trip this year, the fitness would inevitably take a back seat.”

Raducanu was last seen in action at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals last month. While she has confirmed her participation at the Australian Open warm-up tournament in Auckland, she might also play a second warm-up event Down Under. Do you think Raducanu will be able to make a mark at the Australian Open next month?