Emma Raducanu is in real danger of falling out of the Top 100 in the WTA Rankings, meaning she would fail to qualify for the Wimbledon through ranking.
Instead, she would have to rely on a wildcard, or playing qualifying to gain entry. The 2021 US Open champion exited at the first round at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix this week, meaning she lost the points she gained having made the quarter-finals at the same event last year.
Despite a very impressive and positive run at Indian Wells last month, two consecutive early exits at the Miami Open and now this week in Stuttgart have left the British No. 1 in a fight to maintain her ranking. On Monday, she is set to drop by at least 15 places to 83rd and even more significant drop may follow.
The next two weeks will be crucial for Raducanu. She is next due to play at the Madrid Open next week, a WTA 1000-level event that she reached the last 16 of in 2022. Raducanu will need to match this result at the very least, and then have a positive run in Rome a week later to secure her direct rankings entry into her home Grand Slam tournament.
Should she require one, it is widely expected that the 20-year-old will receive a wildcard from the All England Club. Her first appearance at Wimbledon came via the same route, when in 2021 she announced her arrival as a breakout young talent with a dazzling run to the fourth round that captured the hearts of British fans.
Since her scarcely believable win at that year's US Open, however, the young Brit has struggled for form, fitness and consistency, with one of her biggest troubles being contending with recurring niggling injuries.
Still only her second full year on tour, Raducanu still has plenty of time to build up her body to withstand the weekly rigours of the WTA tour. Nevertheless, this clay court stretch looks set to be a pivotal one for Emma.
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