After an injury-laden 2023 season, Emma Raducanu is back in full swing during the ongoing season. Last year, she missed most of the season due to ankle and wrist surgery. Nonetheless, she is looking to regain her lost mojo back in 2024. However, Raducanu is taking a cautious approach and is in no rush. This was quite evident after she missed many big tournaments between the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open. The Brit played in just the Citi Open, missing the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. Despite questions being raised about her strange approach, Raducanu has defended her decision to go cautiously.

The 21-year-old is currently in Korea where she is playing in the WTA Seoul. During an interview with WTA Insider, she explained why she is playing in a select few tournaments despite being fully fit this year. Raducanu revealed, “I always knew there was a really long block in Asia at the end of the year and I didn’t want to overdo myself in the first half of the year. If you look at the tournaments I played it was relatively light. I skipped quite a few weeks over the clay knowing that I’m at the stage where I’m not trying to win every event on the clay, on the grass and hard.”

Raducanu’s preference to play in Asia comes from her early days on the ITF Tour. She won 3 ITF titles, all in Asia. As a result, she went on to add, “I have to prioritize and Asia was one of those for me. So I stacked the year on the backend heavy, because I’m excited. I thrive in Asia. It’s where I truly feel like home. So I’m buzzing for that trip even though it’s at the end of the year. I’m looking forward to going out there and trying to take it.”

The British star faced massive criticism for missing tournaments like the Cincinnati Open. However, it looks like she has silenced her critics by giving a fair explanation.

When Emma Raducanu faced heat for missing tournaments

Players like Emma Raducanu and Venus Williams were snubbed for young American stars for a wildcard entry into the main draw of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. Nonetheless, Raducanu had a chance to play in the qualifying rounds there, which she declined. Subsequently, many tennis bigwigs questioned her move as her US Open preparations were left in limbo.

Among them was Olympic gold medalist, Monica Puig, who said, “We never really have to shy away from qualifying. It doesn’t mean you are less than by any means but getting those extra matches, which Emma I feel like needs at this point to get that momentum going into the US Open.”

The decision eventually didn’t turn out to be fruitful for Raducanu as she lost in the opening round of the US Open. Nonetheless, she is in familiar territory now, as the Asian swing has started. At the Korea Open, Raducanu will look to dig deep as she faces Yue Yuan in the round of 16 match tomorrow.