Emma Raducanu hits big rankings milestone as Brit continues climb

Emma Raducanu has taken another major step in her comeback, breaking back into the WTA's top 32 for the first time since 2022. The milestone not only marks her highest ranking in over two years but also secures - at least for now - a valuable seeding spot at the Grand Slams.

The 22-year-old Brit, now the country's new No. 1, rose one place to No. 32 with 1,498 ranking points after reaching the second round of the Korea Open in Seoul earlier this month. Should she maintain her position, Raducanu will head into January's Australian Open as a seeded player - a crucial safeguard against early encounters with the sport's biggest names. It's a remarkable turnaround. Just 18 months ago, Raducanu had slipped outside the world's top 300 while recovering from wrist and ankle surgeries. Now, she has reinserted herself into the mix at the top of the game, with ambitions of rekindling the brilliance that carried her to an unforgettable US Open title in 2021.

In the opening round at the Korea Open, Raducanu faced Jaqueline Cristian. Torrential rain delayed the contest by a full day, threatening to disrupt her rhythm, but the Brit showed little rust, dispatching her Romanian opponent in straight sets.

Even so, the match was not without turbulence. In the opening set, Raducanu was forced to wrestle not only with Cristian's resistance but also with her own emotions. When the final point was won, she collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face in a raw release of tension and relief.

After the match, she did not clarify why she had broken down, admitting only that the opener had been a difficult test. "I'm super happy to have won," she told the crowd. "It hasn't been easy. I feel like I've played this match the last three days. To have pulled through after waiting, I'm super pleased at how I came through.

"Jaqueline is a really tough opponent and has had great results recently. Tough conditions, very slow, long rallies and long points, so happy to have got through."

Raducanu's run in Seoul ended in the second round, where she fell 4-6, 7-6, 1-6 to former Wimbledon and French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova. Still, her opening victory proved enough to edge her into the world's top 32.

Her gamble to take part in the Korea Open paid off. Raducanu had opted out of Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup Finals campaign - a late withdrawal that sparked controversy - in favour of the Asian hard-court swing, a strategic move to shore up ranking points ahead of January's Australian Open.

The decision blindsided team captain Anne Keothavong, who admitted her disappointment but insisted the focus must remain on the players available: "It's obviously disappointing, but I do want the main focus to be on the players I have and the challenge we have ahead."

Raducanu had been instrumental in last year's semi-final run in Malaga but skipped earlier qualifiers too, prioritising recovery and points.

This week, she's been competing at the China Open. She beat Cristina Bucsa in her opening match to book a third round encounter with former US Open finalist Jess Pegula. On Saturday, she stunned the crowd by speaking fluent Mandarin in her post-match interview.

Raducanu's Grand Slam form has been steadily improving recently. She reached the third round at the Australian Open, the US Open and at Wimbledon this year, having previously only made it beyond the second round at a major on one occasion since her 2021 triumph at Flushing Meadows.

As the 2026 season looms, Raducanu will hope she has finally turned a corner. With injuries, coaching upheavals, and erratic form now behind her, the path ahead looks clearer.