One year after women’s tennis was reintroduced at Queen’s Club, British fans had plenty to celebrate as their No. 1 player, Emma Raducanu, advanced to the final. Although the 23-year-old fell at the final hurdle, the level she displayed throughout the week provided a major boost for her fans ahead of Wimbledon.
After her campaign in London, Raducanu was scheduled to compete at the Nottingham Open as a wildcard, but she pulled out of the event. While her decision was generally well-received considering her taxing schedule at the rain-hit Queen’s Club, Andy Roddick was disappointed by her absence.
Andy Roddick Questions Emma Raducanu’s Break Ahead of Wimbledon
Raducanu’s 2026 season has not been without its challenges. The Brit reached her first final since the 2021 US Open at the Transylvania Open in February but immediately suffered an illness-related setback, which derailed her Sunshine Swing and the clay swing that followed.
Her grass season, meanwhile, has begun on a positive note, with the rehiring of former coach Andrew Richardson, the man who helped her capture the US Open crown. At Queen’s Club, Raducanu beat the likes of Anna Blinkova, Sorana Cîrstea, Kamilla Rakhimova, and Iva Jovic in straight sets to reach the final. In the title clash, she fell short against Donna Vekić.
While her run in London was underway, Raducanu accepted a wildcard entry in Nottingham but ultimately decided to give up her spot to rest before resuming her campaign. Vekić, on the other hand, traveled to her next tournament, the Berlin Tennis Open. Roddick, a former World No. 1 and the 2003 US Open champion, questioned why the Brit wanted to ruin her momentum ahead of Wimbledon.
He also emphasized that the 23-year-old ironically thrived under a packed schedule, producing some of the best tennis of her career en route to her maiden Major trophy.
“The one time we’ve seen Emma Raducanu play every day for three weeks in her professional life, play the most days for three weeks, she produced a level that won a Grand Slam,” he said on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast.
In the lead up to the 2021 US Open, Raducanu made the final 16 at Wimbledon. She then carried the momentum during the North-American hardcourt swing, playing every week until the New York Slam.
After an opening-round loss at the Silicon Valley Classic, she reached the quarterfinal of an ITF event. The following week, she reached the final of a Challenger event in Chicago, and just a couple of days later, she began her historic US Open run, where she won ten consecutive matches in straight sets to clinch the trophy as a qualifier.
Drawing from his own experience in 2003, when he reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and won the Masters events in Montreal and Cincinnati before winning the US Open, Roddick said, “I promise you, I know the value of winning and winning and winning and winning going into a Slam.”
“I will sacrifice something a little wrong with your body or exhaustion for confidence that you can win these big events. At some point, she’s going to have to play a lot of tennis. Not just one week. If I’m her coach and she’s healthy, let’s go! Keep it going in Nottingham. If you make another semi or final, are you all of a sudden one of the 10 favorites to win Wimbledon? Sure.”
Roddick criticized Raducanu for consistently playing a limited schedule despite possessing the talent to win tournaments. “It’s anyone’s game. She played well there last year. She was on the way, but she’s like, ‘I haven’t played much this year.’ And I’m going, ‘You haven’t played much any year. You’ve never played much, right?’ The reason I’m passionate about this is because she’s so good. She looked great this week. Am I being unfair?”
“Once you find form, you press the gas sometimes, unless you’re worried about your body. She’s not 39 like Novak (Djokovic).”
Emma Raducanu has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon twice (2021 and 2024), which is her best result at the tournament so far. In 2025, she made the third round, losing a tight battle against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
It remains to be seen if the World No. 31 competes at the Eastbourne Open next week to prepare for SW19.
