Emma Raducanu made significant progress in the WTA Rankings in the 2025 season, and she will have the opportunity to continue her climb early in 2026.
The Brit halved her ranking this year as she finished the 2025 campaign as the world No 29, having ended 2024 ranked 58th. This is Raducanu’s best year-end ranking since 2021 — a year she finished as the world No 19 after winning the US Open.
Raducanu‘s current ranking of 29 is her highest position since August 2022 — before the points from her US Open title win dropped. She reached a career-high ranking of world No 10 in July 2022.
The 23-year-old compiled a 28-22 record from the 22 tournaments she played in 2025, and she sits on 1,563 WTA ranking points.
Raducanu’s 2025 season began at the Australian Open after she pulled out of the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland due to a back injury.
She is, therefore, not defending any points until the Australian Open — where she will defend 130 points having reached the third round this year.
This will give Raducanu a good opportunity to increase her points total prior to the season’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne.
Tennis News
Emma Raducanu’s blockbuster first match of 2026 season revealed
Jack Draper makes Emma Raducanu confession as he prepares to team up with British No 1
Raducanu will start her 2026 season at the United Cup — a mixed team competition in Australia at which she will be making her debut.
Players have the opportunity to earn up to 500 ranking points at the United Cup, with Great Britain having been drawn to face Japan and Greece in Group E.
In the current WTA Rankings, Raducanu trails Sofia Kenin (No 28) by 26 points, Dayana Yastremska (No 27) by 41 points, Marta Kostyuk (No 26) by 96 points, and Paula Badosa (No 25) by 113 points.
Some strong performances at the United Cup will give Raducanu a great chance of climbing the rankings given her lack of points to defend.
Greg Rusedski has set Emma Raducanu a ranking target for 2026
In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, former world No 4 Greg Rusedski revealed he expects Raducanu to get into the top 20 of the rankings in 2026.
“She has got back to where she is in the rankings and has not played a full schedule,” said the former British No 1.
“So I’d expect her to get back into the top 20 next year and the challenge then is to go beyond that and win titles.
“Tennis players tend to be on a journey. They start by winning smaller events, work their way up the rankings and then they challenge for Grand Slams when they reach the top level.
“Raducanu now has to win tournaments. She needs to get to finals. She hasn’t done that yet and she needs to start building by winning the lesser events on the main tour.”
READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu on player schedule ‘moaning’ & Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach evolving her game