Will Emma Raducanu play at Wimbledon?

Wimbledon is just over the horizon and Britain's best talents will once again go under the microscope at the All England Club in both the men's and women's events.

One player who attracts plenty of attention in the women's competition is former Grand Slam winner Emma Raducanu, but the involvement of the 21-year-old was initially in doubt after she missed the French Open.

Raducanu has had three surgeries in the last year or so and injuries and coaching changes have hindered her progress since that incredible victory at the US Open in 2021.

So will Raducanu be making an appearance at Wimbledon this year and, if so, how likely is she to go far at the grass-court major?

Raducanu hoping to capitalise on wildcard spot

The bottom line is Raducanu will feature at Wimbledon this year.

Handed a wildcard spot, the 21-year-old British ace will feature in the main draw from Monday 1st July and it will be her first appearance at the All England Club since 2022 after she missed the Grand Slam last year due to surgery.

The Toronto-born talent is a 20/1 shot to go the distance at Wimbledon, though, and there are some big names above her in the betting, such as 11/4 favourites Aryna Sabalenka and 7/2 world number one Iga Swiatek as well as Elena Rybakina, who is 9/2.

Raducanu missed the clay-court season to concentrate on grass and earlier this month she reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open, losing to compatriot Katie Boulter.

After the tournament, Raducanu said: "I feel really good. After the match I went and did intervals, I feel strong.

"I feel like I could play tomorrow. I am just shaking off a bit of a bug and a cold, but physically I am fine."

Plenty of setbacks since US Open triumph

Raducanu rose to fame back in 2021, when she broke into the top 10 for the first time in her career by winning the US Open as a qualifier.

Raducanu was a 6-4 6-3 winner against Canadian and fellow youngster Leylah Fernandez and her run featured victories over Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari among others.

It was a remarkable achievement but fitness issues and injury problems have since held back the British ace, who has fallen to 165th spot in the WTA rankings, hence the wildcard entry at Wimbledon this year.

The pressure was on Raducanu after her US Open title success but she has since failed to progress beyond the second round of a Grand Slam.

And in 2023, she missed the entire grass-court season as she had surgery on both of her wrists as well as one ankle.

But as the Wimbledon build-up continues, Raducanu insists she is feeling good.

Regarding her preparation, she said: "I'm just really into it at the moment. I just love the spot, I love tennis.

"It's taken over me and I've really rekindlded a light in the fire inside of me."

In the same year as her New York title success, Raducanu also reached the fourth round of Wimbledon and that remains her best performance at the All England Club, where she has won four of her six matches.

Promising signs in Eastbourne as Pegula dispatched

While Raducanu sounds positive off the court, there have also been promising signs on it.

Raducanu missed the French Open this year but she is already trying to make amends for her absence with some strong performances on the faster surface.

Following her run to the last four of the Nottingham Open, Raducanu also chose to play at the Eastbourne International and she chalked up some eye-catching results.

Raducanu opened with a 6-4 6-0 win over experienced American Sloane Stephens but her best result came in the round of 16, in which she recovered from a set and match point down to beat second seed Jessica Pegula.

That win alone should have done Raducanu's confidence the world of good, even if she lost her quarter-final to sixth seed Daria Kasatkina in blustery conditions.

Raducanu has yet to build on her success at Flushing Meadows three years ago but injuries, surgery and coaching changes have played a key part.

Now looking to maintain some stability on the WTA tour, Raducanu can draw confidence from recent performances and will be eager to outperform her odds of 20/1 to win at the All England Club this summer.

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