Emma Raducanu’s 2024 has been a mixed bag, with some really impressive performances and a handful of deep runs, but also just as many disappointments.
Sprinkled in amongst the latter have also been some really questionable decisions too, with the world number 71 seeking to improve her ranking without having to sacrifice her fitness.
2023 saw her endure surgery on both wrists and her ankle, in what was a nightmare year for the 21-year-old.
Now back and playing relatively regularly, few can have many complaints.
John McEnroe did have a few small ones though…
John McEnroe can’t understand Emma Raducanu’s behaviour
Speaking to Tennis365 at a Eurosport event, the seven-time Grand Slam champion pulled no punches in his assessment of Emma Raducanu.
After all, whilst clearly a supremely talented player, she has made some questionable decisions throughout 2024 despite clearly managing her schedule after some terrible luck with injury.
In particular, Andy Roddick criticised Raducanu’s decision to snub Toronto and Cincinnati qualifying, but his compatriot has found a new frustration.
McEnroe noted: ‘Sometimes I see her and it looks like she is heading back towards the top of the game and then other times I’m a bit befuddled about what’s going on.
‘I’m not close to her team and what is going on, but I hope she is healthy. There were a couple of matches at Wimbledon and she looked really good and then in the last one, she looked really shaky.
‘It’s hard to know what to say about her. I don’t really know.
‘She is certainly in a better space and healthier than she was a year ago, so that’s good, but I don’t know where she is mentally.
‘Does she have that absolute belief and commitment to win something big again or be in the top ten? That I can’t say.’
Emma Raducanu could fly up the rankings in 2025
Although she has had some solid runs in 2024, the year has largely been pretty stale on the rankings front for Raducanu.
After all, she started the year around 300th in the world, and having battled up to 71st, the progress is there to be seen.
However, given that this year has been one of steady progression without risking too much, getting through it fully fit could be huge in allowing her to soar up the rankings in 2025.
After all, in the Grand Slams especially, she will just have points from the second round in Melbourne and the first round in New York to defend, having failed to even compete at Roland Garros.
These could represent huge point swings for her, not to mention that she disappointed in the three Masters 1000-level events played in as well.
With a career-high ranking of tenth, she will have aspirations of being far closer to that figure around this time next year.
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