The Australian Open this year didn’t prove to be the best event for Emma Raducanu to kickstart 2025. While she looked in good touch, her performance dwindled sharply in the third round. Former World No.1 Iga Swiatek eliminated her after dominating a one-side match with a score line of 6-1, 6-0. Post-Melbourne Major, the journey looked tough for her to get a direct entry in the next WTA event. On Friday, she received a wildcard pass in this month’s Abu Dhabi Open. But guess what? The 2021 US Open winner has now received a last-minute boost!

Emma Raducanu’s entry in Abu Dhabi qualifiers has been canceled – but for a good reason. Why so? Well, the 2021 US Open winner will now compete directly in the event’s main draw. Initially, she was supposed to fight her way through the qualifying stage. But not anymore. The latest update has confirmed her participation in the tournament. Her first-round opponent has, however, not been revealed yet.

Prior to the Abu Dhabi Open, Raducanu was seen at the Singapore Open earlier this week. Coming after her heartbreaking exit in Australia, she failed to impress with her performances. The former World No.1 faced Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the R32 on Monday. In a battle lasting over three hours, Raducanu managed to take an early lead as she clinched the first set 7-5. However, Bucsa went on to make a strong return, taking the last two sets and sealing the match with a score line of 5-7, 7-5, 7-5.

But the 22-year-old is not entirely upset over her form. She is hopeful about her prospects in the season going forward.

Emma Raducanu hopes to bounce back in 2025 season

After losing in the first round of the Singapore Open, Emma Raducanu reflected on her performance. Reacting to a heartbreaking defeat against Bucsa, she said, “I feel OK. I feel like I have certain things we all manage as the year goes on. I think it’s pretty early in the season.”

She wasn’t low on confidence at all and hoped to come back strongly. “For me to be playing this kind of match, all I need is time on court and a match-competitive situation, which I got today. I got it in abundance — over three hours of it — so, for me, it’s really valuable because every match I play, I feel like it’s a win,” Raducanu added.

Apart from poor form, Raducanu has got another issue to sort out at the moment. Following her exit from Melbourne, her former coach Nick Cavaday announced a split with her. Sharing his reason for leaving, Cavaday said, “I am very happy to have been able to work with Emma over the last 14 months. At this moment in time, it’s important for me to spend some more time at home and prioritize getting back to full health, which is hard to do with the extensive calendar. I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60, and I look forward to seeing what she does from here,” as reported by The Guardian on January 24.

As of now, Raducanu is without a coach. It will be intriguing to see how she fares at the Abu Dhabi Open. Her avid fans will surely hope for an impressive run. What are your thoughts on Raducanu’s chances in the 2025 season? Will she make a strong impression going forward? Let us know in the comments below.