Emma Raducanu Ended 2024 on a High After Climbing Back up to No 58 in the World and Finishing Her Season with Three Impressive Wins Representing Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga

Raducanu has lived through a challenging three years since she shot to global superstardom after winning the US Open in remarkable fashion in 2021.

The wave of euphoric publicity that washed over Raducanu after her New York miracle was replaced by negativity as she struggled to maintain her success story, with injuries also hampering her hopes of sustaining a career at the top of the game.

After dropping out of the top 200 in the WTA Rankings last year, Raducanu ended 2024 on a high after climbing back up to No 58 in the world and finishing her season with three impressive wins representing Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga.

Now 30-time Grand Slam-winning wheelchair tennis legend Alfie Hewett has spoken about his admiration for Raducanu, as he backed the 22-year-old to enjoy success in 2025.

Hewett has had a sample of life in the spotlight, but it is nothing compared to the challenges Raducanu has faced and he believes the young Brit has handled the situation her success put her in a positive manner.

“You don’t really know how it feels to suddenly get publicity until you get there and it happens to you,” said Lexus ambassador Hewett, in an exclusive interview with Tennis365 conducted at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London.

“I’ve had a bit of spotlight on me in recent years, but it’s minuscule to what she must have gone through and it can’t be easy.

“Success can change your future, but it also provides challenges when you win a big title like that.

“It seems like she has come through a rollercoaster since that, but no one will ever take away from her that she won a Grand Slam.

“Whatever happens in the future, that can never be overlooked and people’s expectations may have changed after that, but you have to realise where she was in her career at that point.

“Emma had not played many professional events when she won the US Open, so she needed time to get used to everything and it was no surprise that it has been challenging for her.

I think she is managing it now.”

The expectation around Raducanu will always be a little more intense than most rising stars after she broke through in such spectacular fashion, yet Hewett believes her US Open win may not be her final Grand Slam success.

“Emma has a real chance to have a big year,” he added.

“She has proven that when she is fit, healthy and strong and can get to the end of tournaments she is definitely up there with some of the best in the game.

“I think it’s possible that she could win Wimbledon one day. She had a great run there this year.

She had got all the ingredients in her game and she’s done it before, so why not?”

Raducanu has vowed to do all she can to steer clear of injuries next year and she has revealed a deal to hire fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka, is under discussion.

“I think my goal next year is to stay on court longer,” said Raducanu.

“This year I got to top 60 in the world, but I played I think less than 15 events.

I know if I’m on court and healthy and competing, I can go even higher and further.

“I think that my athleticism is a strength of mine, but it’s nowhere near its full potential.

I’m just looking forward to exploring that further, and I am ready to commit to doing that.

“While it’s the end of the season for a lot of players, I feel I’m just beginning to kick-start and get things in motion, training really well, training hard, and already building towards next year.

I’m not really looking to have any more time off.

“I’m just looking forward to competing here this week and taking however this goes and improving on it for next year.”