British Hope Aims To Regain Her Spark

Despite recent setbacks, Raducanu remains Britain's best bet for Wimbledon glory

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LONDON - Emma Raducanu reclaimed the British No. 1 spot in June but still looks some way from rediscovering the spark that propelled her career into the stratosphere in 2021.

Yet, despite her lowered expectations, the 22-year-old remains one of Britain's most recognisable female athletes, and will arrive at Wimbledon regarded as the country's main hope for a long-awaited women's singles champion.

Few players in the history of tennis have experienced such an unexpected breakthrough as Raducanu managed in 2021, when she claimed the US Open title and became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era (since 1968).

It set the bar ridiculously high for the Toronto-born player, and she would be the first to admit that her trajectory since then has been anything but smooth.

Having rocketed into the world's top 10 on the back of her Flushing Meadows fairy tale, the Briton has since struggled with a succession of wrist and foot injuries, poor form and a revolving door of coaches as she tries to find the magic formula.

That astonishing US Open remains Raducanu's only title, but there are signs that she is trending in the right direction - or perhaps not.