Emma Raducanu facing rankings slide after decision to take a break from tennis

Emma Raducanu enjoyed her best run of form since her 2021 US Open win as she reached the quarter-finals of the Miami Open, but it is unclear when she will be back on court.

Raducanu pulled out of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup matches in the Netherlands this week as she opted to take some time away from the court.

Sky Sports reported last week that Raducanu has also pulled out of the WTA 250 Open de Rouen that is set to get underway next week, but it has not yet been confirmed by the player.

There are also suggestions that she may not return in time to play on clay courts at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open tournament next month, with uncertainty over when the 22-year-old will next play a competitive tournament.

It is unclear whether Raducanu is nursing a minor injury or just opting to rest her body for a summer that will include a lot of action on her favoured grass courts, but it is clear that she will not play too much tennis in April.

That means she will see the 108 points earned from her run to the quarter-finals at the WTA 500 Stuttgart Open last year dropping off her record next week.

She would also lose the 10 ranking points she collected from a first-round defeat in Madrid last May if she opts against playing the tournament in the Spanish capital this year.

That may well see Raducanu drop out of the top 50 of the WTA Rankings once again, with British No 3 Sonay Kartal likely to get close to overhauling her former junior rival in the rankings ahead of the French Open.

Raducanu has made it clear that she will prioritise her health over ranking points and that is understandable given her lengthy spells away from the court due to injuries.

In addition, she will believe her game is there to compete with the best players on the WTA Tour after a run in Miami that included wins against top 10 player Emma Navarro and recent WTA 1000 title winner Amanda Anisimova.

Despite that return to form, Raducanu has decided this is the moment to take a break from the game and celebrated coach Patrick Mouratoglou has suggested the mental toll may be as significant for Raducanu as the physical issues she has struggled with over the last couple of years.

Speaking to Tennis365, Mouratoglou highlighted Emma Raducanu as an example of a player who goes onto court with more than just the burden of her own expectations to contend with, as criticism and the threat of it can also impact a match.