LONDON — Greg Rusedski believes Emma Raducanu delaying her comeback from a stress fracture injury is a "smart play" that could elevate her 2027 season. The former British No 1 said the extended lay-off would allow the former US Open champion to get physically stronger and technically better before returning to the WTA Tour.
Raducanu has not played a single match on the WTA Tour since a hectic final weekend at Queen's Club in June and has dropped out of the top 100, though she has posted training videos in recent weeks. Rusedski said on the Off Court podcast that if she remains off the circuit until at least January she would pass the six-month injury threshold and be eligible for a protected ranking of 31, her position when she was injured at Queen's, which would allow entry to up to eight tournaments in a season including a maximum of two Grand Slams. "I think it's a smart play. If you think of it logically, what's the rush? She gets an extended off-season to get physically stronger, technically better, and hit the ground running in 2027," Rusedski said. "So even if there wasn't that protected ranking rule, if you're fit and doing all the right things, then that gives you an impetus to push forward in 2027."
Rusedski added that while a protected ranking would allow Raducanu to play at the Australian Open, she would not be able to claim a seeding and would be at risk of facing a big name in round one. He also addressed claims that the 23-year-old lacks motivation and killer instinct, pointing instead to her stop-start injury record, and contrasted her meteoric rise — winning the US Open in 2021 as an 18-year-old qualifier — with Alex Eala's steadier ascent from 50 at the start of the year to the top 20 now as a 21-year-old. "I think it's been too much stop-start. You never fluke a major. It just shows her potential. She's doing everything in reverse. Most of us build up. You look at Eala; she's been building up nicely. She didn't all of a sudden win the US Open or Wimbledon," Rusedski said. "So it was a blessing in disguise for Emma in one respect. And then, in the other respect, it created a lot more expectation and pressure on her."
"And all the big events are out of the way, apart from the end-of-season championships. If she's healthy, we saw what she could do at Queen's, and now she's going to have a volume of work. And with that volume of work, it's going to give her an opportunity to have a good year," Rusedski said. "And the thing for Emma is, can she stay healthy for an extended period of time? It's been too many stop-starts. If she can get that extended period, then she gets top 30, top 20, knocking on the door to top 10. She's too good a player. But if you're not healthy, no matter how talented or good you are, you can't sustain the very highest level in the men's or the women's game."
Rusedski added he hopes British stars such as Raducanu, Jack Draper and Arthur Fery enjoy an injury-free year in 2027. "We want to hear about something and someone just being healthy. And I'm tired of talking about her; let her have a good run. And then that'll answer all the critics," he said. It remains to be seen whether Raducanu will play another tournament this year.