Emma Raducanu plots 'heavy' schedule, aims to 'play as many matches as I can' - 'I thrive in Asia'
Published 18/09/2024 at 17:58 GMT
With no ranking points to defend for the rest of the season, Emma Raducanu has the chance to improve on her current ranking position of No. 70 in the world. The former US Open champion has spoken about her scheduling plans for the next month and what she hopes to achieve. Raducanu, who beat Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Korea Open, is set to play in China for the first time.
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Emma Raducanu has revealed her intention to “play as many matches” as possible until the end of 2024 as she plots a “heavy” schedule in Asia.
Raducanu raised eyebrows over the summer when she missed the Paris Olympics and then played only one tournament in the lead-up to the US Open.
After losing in the first round in New York, she admitted she “would have preferred to probably play a little bit more” ahead of the Grand Slam and would consider her scheduling.
Perhaps with that in mind, she is set for a busy month as she plays her first full Asia swing.
"I always knew there was a really long block in Asia at the end of the year and I didn't want to overdo myself in the first half of the year," Raducanu told WTA Insider.
"If you look at the tournaments I played it was relatively light. I skipped quite a few weeks over the clay knowing that I'm at the stage where I'm not trying to win every event on the clay, on the grass and hard.
"I have to prioritise and Asia was one of those for me. So I stacked the year on the backend heavy, because I'm excited. I thrive in Asia. It's where I truly feel like home. So I'm buzzing for that trip even though it's at the end of the year. I'm looking forward to going out there and trying to take it."
Raducanu is playing this week at the Korea Open, where she won her opening match against Peyton Stearns.
She is then set to play back-to-back WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan, and then in Hong Kong at the end of October.
"I think the rest of the year, as long as I'm healthy I'm going to try and finish the season and play as many matches as I can," Raducanu said after beating Stearns.
"It's something I'm really light on since the grass through the DC period. I've not played many points, even in practice.
"So today, as gruelling as it was, I think I had three hours of match experience, which can only aid me going into the next few weeks. For me now, I just want to play matches and, in the meantime, do a little bit of work on my game where I can."
Raducanu is up to No. 70 in the world rankings having started the year at No. 285.
With no ranking points to defend for the rest of the season she will have the chance to further climb up the rankings.
She will also play for the first time in China, which is where her mother was born.
"Playing in China, I've never done that, so that's going to be a first for me," Raducanu said.
"I feel pretty comfortable in this environment, which is an advantage. I just want to play as much as I can."
Raducanu plays eighth seed Yuan Yue in the last 16 of the Korea Open on Thursday.
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