Emma Raducanu may find it advantageous to call an early end to her 2024 campaign, allowing her to focus on a full recovery and to lock in a protected ranking before she aims to return to the tour in 2027, according to former British No.1 Annabel Croft. The 23‑year‑old Briton suffered a stress fracture in the lower part of her right leg during the grass‑court swing, a setback that forced a late decision to withdraw from Wimbledon. After a thorough review with her medical team, Raducanu announced on Monday that she will also be unable to compete at the US Open later this month, a revelation made live on Sky Sports. In professional tennis, a protected ranking is a safety net for players who have been sidelined for an extended period due to injury or illness.
The system allows them to enter tournaments based on a ranking frozen at the time of injury, rather than their current, potentially much lower, position. The ATP and WTA have slightly different rules.
On the men’s side, a player can use a protected ranking calculated from the average of their ranking over the three months preceding the injury. For women, the protected ranking is locked at the exact ranking held when the injury occurred, and it can be applied to up to eight events in a year, or twelve if the absence exceeds twelve months. Raducanu has only just taken tentative steps back onto the court, doing so while wearing a protective boot on her injured leg. This latest hurdle adds to a frustrating twelve‑month period that has been riddled with recurring physical problems.
While speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, Croft, now a television analyst, described Raducanu’s situation as "unbelievably unlucky with injury problems." She noted that despite the myriad injuries that can affect any athlete, Raducanu has yet to enjoy a sustained, injury‑free stretch that would let her build momentum and confidence in both body and mind. The British star’s troubles began with a foot injury that severely limited her pre‑season preparation, followed by a two‑and‑a‑half‑month hiatus due to a post‑viral illness that first struck her in early February. After months of rehabilitation, she made a modest return at the tail end of the clay season, re‑uniting with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to the US Open triumph in 2021. However, their time together on court has been scarce, and the partnership has yet to regain the rhythm that produced the 2021 breakthrough.
In June, Raducanu produced one of the most impressive weeks of her career by reaching the final at Queen's Club, the biggest final she has contested since her New York victory. Ironically, the effort she displayed on the grass courts appears to have triggered the latest stress fracture, forcing her to step away once again.
Her absence was also felt in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, where she was not selected for Great Britain’s squad in late September. Croft observed, "I've seen countless pictures of her with the boot on, trying to serve, keeping her racket moving, showing everyone she is doing everything she can. But clearly the injury hasn't healed fully." The former world No.24 added that the decision to end the season now could be pragmatic, allowing Raducanu to recover completely without the pressure of defending points.
If Raducanu misses at least six months of competition because of injury, she would be eligible for a protected ranking that reflects her position at the time she last played competitively—her top‑50 ranking from the grass‑court season. This could be crucial, as she currently sits at No.49 and faces the prospect of a steep points drop after the North American hard‑court swing she missed last year, which included events in Washington, Canada, Cincinnati, and the US Open. Croft explained that the protected ranking could mitigate the damage to her official standing: "If she can secure that special ranking, she would be able to enter a select number of tournaments based on her pre‑injury position, rather than starting from the bottom of the rankings." However, she cautioned that the decision is not merely about numbers. "Your health is your wealth," Croft said, emphasizing that the priority must be a full, unhurried rehabilitation.
The nature of Raducanu’s injury is unusual. While Croft has experienced calf muscle strains herself, she highlighted that Raducanu’s strength has always been her lightness on the feet and her exceptional movement. "She moves around the ball with ease, gets into great positions without ever looking off‑balance," Croft remarked. "That mobility is a cornerstone of her game, and it needs to be at 100 per cent before she returns to the tour." Looking ahead, there are several scenarios.
If Raducanu opts to sit out the remainder of 2024, she could use the protected ranking to enter key events in 2025 and beyond, giving her a smoother pathway back into the top tier. Alternatively, she could attempt a rushed comeback, risking further injury and potentially compromising her long‑term prospects.
Many observers believe that a measured approach, focusing on physiotherapy, strength training, and gradual on‑court exposure, will serve her best interests. The broader tennis community is watching closely. The WTA has been proactive in supporting players with injury‑related ranking protections, and the ATP has similar mechanisms, reflecting an industry-wide recognition that athletes need time to heal without being penalised in the rankings system.
For Raducanu, whose career has already seen a meteoric rise followed by a series of setbacks, the protected ranking could be a lifeline that preserves her ability to compete at the highest level once she is fully fit. In summary, ending her season now may allow Emma Raducanu to focus entirely on recovery, secure a protected ranking, and return stronger in 2027. While the decision carries the risk of a temporary drop in her official standing, the long‑term benefits of a fully healed body and mind could outweigh the short‑term ranking concerns. As Croft succinctly put it, "At the end of the day, your health is your wealth, and she just needs to get herself fit."