Emma Raducanu has been warned she will face increased expectations at Wimbledon this year after the 23-year-old Brit reached the final of the Queen's Club Championship at the weekend, only to be beaten by Donna Vekic.
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 impressive exploits on grass. Speaking on his podcast, Off Court With Greg Rusedski, he suggested Raducanu's almost cult-like fanbase in the UK will only intensify the spotlight on her when SW19 comes around.
He said: "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 Journey
Raducanu fought hard throughout a gruelling week at the WTA 500 event but ultimately fell short in the final against Croatian star Vekic. The Brit began the year nursing a foot injury before parting company with coach Francisco Roig in late January. A viral infection then kept her sidelined for two months.
Despite her recent struggles, she has still managed to finish runner-up at two tournaments in 2026: the Transylvania Open in February and the west London event last weekend. Raducanu was beaten in straight sets at Queens, including 6-0 in the first, but she battled back in the second and was edged out on a tiebreak.
Reaction to Defeat
Following the defeat, she admitted the straight-sets loss "stung", but was keen to acknowledge her achievement in 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 Preparations
Raducanu's build-up to Wimbledon, which gets underway on Monday, June 29, has seen her bypass the ongoing Nottingham Open. She had remained tight-lipped when quizzed about her involvement 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)."
Raducanu's withdrawal has officially been attributed to a change of schedule, as she continues her preparations ahead of SW19. A victory at Queen's Club would have marked the star's first-ever title on grass. However, she could still claim that honour before Wimbledon, with the Eastbourne Open due to get under way on June 20.
