Emma Raducanu Stuns Tennis World with Surprise Comeback Announcement—Here’s What to Expect in 2025

Emma Raducanu’s Seoul Return Stalled by Heavy Rain—but Ranking Revival Still in Sight The British No. 1 touched down in South Korea this week hoping the WTA 500 Korea Open would mark the next step in her 2025 resurgence. Instead, day-long downpours in Seoul forced tournament officials to postpone her opening-round clash against Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, leaving fans waiting at least 24 more hours to see Raducanu back on court. Why Seoul Matters for Raducanu’s Ranking Goals Raducanu began 2025 ranked outside the top-100 after an injury-hit 2024 season, but a third-round run at the Australian Open and back-to-back quarter-finals on the spring hard-court swing have propelled her to No. 62. According to projections, a last-four finish in Seoul would push the 22-year-old into the top-50—a target she openly set for herself before the Asian swing. Re-entering that tier before the season-ending cut-off would likely secure seedings at January’s Grand Slam events and ease her pathway through early rounds. Balancing National Duty and Tour Ambitions The Korea Open appearance comes after Raducanu opted out of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals campaign, a decision that drew mixed reactions at home. Her camp argues the choice allows her to protect ranking momentum and manage a carefully planned workload following last year’s wrist surgery. Fitness Update and Training Focus Observers in Seoul reported Raducanu hitting for nearly two hours under the indoor bubble on Monday, working on the forehand drive that deserted her during a narrow loss to Iga Świątek in Melbourne. Coaches have also emphasised first-serve percentage and return depth—two metrics that spiked during her successful 2025 North American swing. What’s Next on Court If weather cooperates, Raducanu versus Cristian will now open Wednesday’s schedule on Centre Court. Cristian, ranked No. 41, owns heavy topspin groundstrokes but lacks Raducanu’s flat pace; their only previous meeting came in Cluj last year, where Raducanu won 6-4, 6-3. Victory would set up a likely second-round encounter with eighth seed Caroline Garcia, a proven hard-court threat. Long-Term Storyline Beyond Seoul, Raducanu is entered for the Wuhan 1000 and the season-closing Zhuhai Elite Trophy, two events that could deliver enough points to fulfill her top-40 ambition before year-end. A strong Asian swing would also quiet critics who questioned her decision to skip team duties and solidify her status as a contender heading into 2026. For now, all eyes remain on the Seoul skies—and on whether Emma Raducanu can turn a rain delay into the launchpad for the ranking leap she has been chasing all season.