Emma Raducanu has been cautioned as Wimbledon rapidly approaches after reaching the final of the Queen's Club Championship at the weekend, where she was defeated by Donna Vekic. The 23-year-old Brit has been sent a warning ahead of the prestigious Grand Slam event.
Rusedski's Warning
Former tennis star Greg Rusedski has claimed that "the expectations for Wimbledon have just gone up" following the former US Open champion's grass court heroics. Speaking on his podcast, Off Court With Greg Rusedski, he said Raducanu's almost cult-like following in the UK will only heighten attention around her come Wimbledon.
He stated: "She is a massive asset. I mean, she came out of nowhere and won ten matches in a row to win a major... but Emma's story, obviously, being from Britain, the background, the story, the look, all these things, it's good to see. Lots of positives, you need the big names in there, you need rivalries, you need players that the fans really get behind, and in Britain, she still is the top dog in the women's game. Everybody is talking about her, no matter what she does, and all of a sudden, the expectations for Wimbledon have just gone up."
Raducanu's 2026 Season
Raducanu battled hard throughout a testing week at the WTA 500 event but ultimately came undone in the final against Croatian star Vekic. The Brit started the year with a foot injury and then parted ways with coach Francisco Roig in late January. A viral illness then put her out of action for two months.
Regardless of her recent woes, she has still finished runner-up at two tournaments in 2026: the Transylvania Open in February and the west London event last weekend. Raducanu lost in straight sets at Queen's, including 6-0 in the first, but she fought back in the second and lost on a tiebreak. It's a stunning return to form, with her last win coming in March.
Reaction to Defeat
After the defeat, she admitted the straight-set defeat "stung", but wanted to celebrate herself for reaching another final. "I haven't really played much this season, but to think I have made two finals so far, which I haven't done in years, it has to be kind of, in a way, celebrated, and it's a good achievement for me, and I'm proud of it," she said.
"Right now, it obviously really stings, so I'm just going to try and let myself feel it today but try and get over it pretty quick. I think I played really well this week. I think I'm playing pretty freely, pretty aggressively, but finding the right balance, returning, been serving pretty well. It's important on grass. It's just nice to have the team that I do."
Wimbledon Preparation
Raducanu's preparation for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, June 29, has seen her skip the ongoing Nottingham Open. She had remained coy when asked about her participation in Nottingham over the weekend. She said: "Yeah, I don't know right now. I pretty much came straight into here. I haven't necessarily decided. When does it start? Tuesday?... So tomorrow?... We'll see. We'll see (laughter)."
The official reason given for her withdrawal is a change of schedule, with Raducanu continuing her preparations for SW19. A win at Queen's Club would've been the star's first-ever title on grass. However, she could still claim that accolade before Wimbledon, given the Eastbourne Open is set to start on June 20.
