What's changed for Emma Raducanu ahead of Wimbledon 2026 after run to Queen's final? - 'A new and better Emma'
Published 15/06/2026 at 15:09 GMT+1
React to this story
After a cheerless clay swing, things are looking brighter for Britain's No. 1 Emma Raducanu on grass following her run to the Queen's final.
'I got tired of sitting at home!' - Williams on tennis return after triumphant comeback
Video credit: SNTV
Raducanu’s performances in reaching the final were some of her most encouraging since her US Open victory in 2021.
The 23-year-old earned her first top-20 win in over a year, won two matches in one day on Saturday, and didn’t drop a set until losing to Donna Vekic in the final.
There were also signs of a more aggressive approach from Raducanu, who has reunited with Andrew Richardson, the coach who helped guide her to Grand Slam glory in New York.
So what comes next for Raducanu? And what positives can she take away from her week at Queen’s ahead of Wimbledon?
A 'new' and 'better' Raducanu
When Raducanu was beaten in the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year, her post-match comments seemed as though they might spell the end of her time with coach Francisco Roig.
"I want to be playing a different way," said Raducanu. "At the end of the day, I just want to hit the ball to the corners and hard.
"I feel like I'm doing all this variety, and it's not doing what I want it to do. I need to just work on playing in a way more similar to how I was playing when I was younger."
Just six weeks later, Roig was gone and Raducanu was on the lookout for another new coach.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/21/image-7c4b346c-cbd0-4bfb-af9f-ceda68820ccc-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'I want to play a different way' - Raducanu reacts after shock Australian Open exit
Video credit: SNTV
Fast-forward to Queen's, and with Richardson back in the coaching box, Raducanu looked far more like the player who stormed to victory as an 18-year-old qualifier at the US Open.
The attacking tennis was back, the big hitting into the corners, the positivity, and the fighting spirit.
"I think we have been working on this game style," said Raducanu after the semi-finals.
"The whole week I have been playing really, really good tennis and the brand of tennis that I really want to play.
"I wouldn't say it's necessarily the old Emma. I think it's the new Emma.Â
"You take all the lessons and experience, all the different ups and downs, and you take everything. You understand a lot more what's going on and what works for you, and I'm back and better."
Raducanu has been criticised for cycling through so many coaches since her US Open triumph, with Roig the ninth to be moved on following a short stint.
But after a clay swing that saw her fail to win a match after a post-viral illness, the early signs from Raducanu's Richardson reunion appear positive.
Raducanu showed that with the weapons she has, she can compete with the best in the game, especially on grass, where she looks comfortable moving and understands the surface.
"I'm playing pretty freely, pretty aggressively, but finding the right balance, returning, been serving pretty well. It's important on grass," she added after the final.
"I was able to play and dictate, and that's something I wasn't able to do today. I managed to get myself back into the second set, and I'm proud of how I fought.
"That's not something that in the past years I have always done, so that's a positive."
Where will Raducanu play next?
After a physically testing week at Queen’s, where rain severely disrupted the schedule, Raducanu has opted not to play at the Nottingham Open.
She was set to play her opening match against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova on Tuesday.
Instead, Raducanu, who played the final against Vekic with strapping on her left thigh, will get some rest.
She had admitted at Queen’s that fatigue played a part in her performance in the final, adding: ”I have just been dealing with a few niggles over the past few weeks, and of course the load I have had in the last week.”
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/06/09/image-45681755-dea2-4288-a0cd-79a9ca8058fd-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Serena on return to tennis: 'I got tired of sitting at home'
Video credit: SNTV
Raducanu is not yet signed up for any further tournaments before Wimbledon, which starts on June 29, but there could be the opportunity to play.
The Eastbourne International starts on June 22 and Raducanu played at the tournament last year, losing in the second round.
"Going into Wimbledon you want as many matches on grass as possible. This week was great. I played five matches on grass," said Raducanu.
"It has to be a positive. You take things that work, take things that didn't work, and apply it to when I play next."
Will Raducanu be seeded for Wimbledon?
Raducanu has moved up to No. 31 in the WTA rankings following her run to the final at Queen’s.
That would be high enough for a seeded spot at Wimbledon as the top 32 players are seeded.
With Raducanu not playing this week, she could slip a few spots down the rankings and miss out on being seeded.
The seedings for the Grand Slam are based on the rankings as they stand next Monday. The draw for Wimbledon will take place on Friday, June 26.
- - -
Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.
Stream top tennis action live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement