Emma Raducanu has achieved one of her seasonal targets as the WTA Tour season comes to a close. The British tennis prodigy ended her season prematurely in October due to health reasons.
Her season was a mixture of highs and lows. She secured notable wins at Wimbledon and the US Open, regaining her status as the top-ranked player in Britain. However, she faced fitness challenges towards the end, evident at the Ningbo Open where she required medical assistance and suffered a defeat in the opening round.
After encountering these obstacles, Raducanu chose to conclude her season early but assured that she would continue working with coach Francisco Roig in 2026. This decision jeopardized her aspiration of being seeded for the Australian Open.
Having withdrawn from her final two tournaments of the year while ranked 29th, her goal of being in the top 32 was uncertain. Without the opportunity to earn more ranking points, she awaited confirmation of achieving this milestone.
With the season now concluded, she finished the year as world No. 29. Barring a challenging start to the upcoming season, she is likely to be seeded in Melbourne.
In early October, Raducanu set this objective, emphasizing the importance of being seeded at the first Grand Slam of the new season. She expressed determination to elevate her ranking for better opportunities in tournament draws.
Furthermore, the young British star highlighted the significance of being a role model, emphasizing the impact of inspiring younger generations to play tennis. She stressed the importance of maintaining a positive attitude on the court to set a good example for aspiring players.
Raducanu currently stands as the lone British player within the top 32 of the WTA rankings, with Aryna Sabalenka securing the top spot this year. Sky has introduced a discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, featuring over 1,400 live matches across various leagues including the Premier League and EFL.
Sky is set to broadcast a minimum of 215 live Premier League matches next season, an increase of up to 100 games compared to the previous season.