Rising British star Emma Raducanu is set to return to the Nottingham Open in June, kicking off her crucial grass-court season preparation.
The 21-year-old, who shocked the world with her US Open victory in 2021, has strategically opted to skip the upcoming French Open. This allows her to focus entirely on grass courts, a surface she missed entirely last year due to wrist and ankle surgeries.
The Nottingham tournament, starting June 8th, marks the first WTA Tour event on the British grass court calendar leading up to Wimbledon on July 1st. Raducanu has a bit of Nottingham history, having played there twice before. Unfortunately, she fell to fellow Briton Harriet Dart in 2021 and had to withdraw due to injury against Viktorija Golubic in 2022.
This year promises a thrilling competition with Raducanu joining a strong field. Reigning Nottingham champion Katie Boulter (GBR) will be looking to defend her title, while top contenders include world number nine Ons Jabeur (TUN), 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova (CZE), and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin (USA).
Fans can expect a fierce battle for glory as these top players gear up for the prestigious Wimbledon Championships.