Former British No 1 makes bold Emma Raducanu prediction after tough Wimbledon draw

There has been a drive to lower expectations around Emma Raducanu since her US Open win in 2021, but former British No 1 Laura Robson believes the moment has come to shift gears in an alternative direction.

Raducanu is heading into Wimbledon with a positive aura after a run to the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open was backed up by a hugely impressive run to the quarterfinals at the WTA 500 event in Eastbourne.

The expectations around Raducanu’s Wimbledon have taken a hit after she was handed a daunting first round draw against No.22 seed Ekaterina Evgenyevna from Russia, who has shown good form on grass after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.

She also reached the semi-finals of the WTA event in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on grass earlier this month, but Raducanu will have a great chance to have a deep run at Wimbledon if she can overcome the seed in her section in the first round.

Robson has been a vocal supporter of Raducanu since her remarkable US Open win almost three years ago and after being around the 21-year-old Brit in her role as Tournament Director at the Rothesay Open Nottingham, she is convinced the tide of positivity is swinging back in the direction of one of the game’s most talked about stars.

“It’s great to see her looking excited to be back on court and up for the challenge,” Robson told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview at a Play Your Way To Wimbledon event.

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“I was super impressed with the way Emma and Katie Boulter played in Nottingham and we can be optimistic that both of them can do well at Wimbledon. They will both keep pushing each other along.

“Now I’m expecting Emma to have a good Wimbledon. She’s put the work in, been practising on grass for quite a few weeks now she is looking ready for it.

“Looking at her levels, she is clearly playing well above her ranking. She is already right up there with top players and that will be really nice for Emma to see.

“She will know she is not far off and is in a lot better place than she was six months ago.

“So if I had to pick out a player to watch at Wimbledon in the women’s draw, it would be Emma.”

Robson believes the positivity Raducanu has spoken about in her press briefings in recent days has been backed up by her impressive displays on court, with her thrilling win against world No 5 Jessica Pegula on Wednesday evidence that she can mix it with the best on a grass court.

After admitting she has struggled with motivation at times since her US Open win, the fire that has been reignited inside Raducanu gives Robson hope that she will shine at the All England Club.

“I am loving her energy and I saw it first-hand at Nottingham,” added Robson. “She was requesting to play early each day and get on court whenever she could. It was great for me as the tournament director as I could let her go.

“The fact that she was playing well enough and wanted to maintain her momentum was a really positive sign.

“The fact that other Brits are in the mix now will also help her. Katie has come through and she will be seeded, so there is probably a little more pressure on here. The same with Jack Draper, who is also seeded.

“We have a few young players coming through, so all the attention is not on Emma now.”

Vodafone, the Official Connectivity Partner of Wimbledon, is working with Laura Robson to inspire the next generation of tennis players through Play Your Way To Wimbledon.