Emma Raducanu eager for Wimbledon return despite lack of ranking points

Emma Raducanu said she has no problem with competing at Wimbledon despite the WTA revoking the tournament’s ranking points after it banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing this year.

“I know that it was a really tough decision,” said Raducanu. “But for me, I personally will play whatever. I have a lot of points coming off from Wimbledon. But for me it doesn’t really matter whatever the situation is, I am here to play and I will play. If that means I cannot defend my points then so be it. But I just enjoy competing.”

Wimbledon was the scene of Raducanu’s breakthrough last year when she reached the fourth round as a wild card and burst into the spotlight for the first time. Her Wimbledon points currently make up the second highest points on her ranking and, with her US Open title defence edging closer, not being able to defend them could significantly affect her ranking in September.

“I would have loved the opportunity to defend points that are coming off,” she said. “But I am just focused on what I am here to do. I am here to play tennis. You know I don’t want to get involved because it is not my place at all. I am sure that there have been many discussions and it wasn’t an easy decision at all. I think that I am really again still looking forward to playing at the championships in front of a home crowd.”

Raducanu, 19, also said that she no longer reads any social media, ignoring the surrounding noise as she focuses on her tennis. She stopped doing so as early as last August before her US Open triumph.

“I did it proactively because, at the US Open, I had no idea of anything that was going to follow,” said Raducanu. “It is some great advice, to be honest, to not check your comments ever. I definitely love