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Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu is set to make her return to competitive tennis at the United Cup team competition in Australia during the first week of January 2027. The 23-year-old has not played since June after suffering a stress fracture in her shin.
Protected Ranking Secures Tour Entry
Raducanu last featured on June 14, when she lost to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in her first grass-court final at Queen’s Club. Fourteen days later, she was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon on the eve of her opening match. Although she considered returning during the autumn events in Asia, delaying her comeback until January allows her to utilize a special ranking of 38, which is available to players who have missed at least six months due to injury.
The protected ranking reflects her position in the world standings following Wimbledon, where she received prize money despite not taking the court. Raducanu’s actual world ranking of 107 would typically be insufficient to secure main-draw entry at the Australian Open and primary WTA Tour events. Under the special ranking system, she will be eligible to enter eight tournaments next season, including two Grand Slams and five WTA 1000 events in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami across February and March.
United Cup Lineup and Group Draw
Her application for a special ranking was approved shortly before the entry deadline for the United Cup passed on Monday. Using a ranking of 38, Raducanu will serve as the lead female player for Great Britain in the 18-team international event, joining Arthur Fery for mixed team competition.
The British contingent for the tournament, taking place from January 1 to 10, is completed by Francesca Jones, Jan Choinski, and doubles players Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls. Great Britain has been drawn into a Sydney-based group alongside Australia and France, placing Raducanu in position to face current top-40 opponents Talia Gibson and Diane Parry.
Rehabilitation and Recent Injury History
After resuming light training in early September, Raducanu has gradually increased the intensity of her practice sessions in London alongside head coach Andrew Richardson and LTA national coach Alex Ward. She is expected to undergo warm-weather training in the Middle East ahead of the swing in Australia, having chosen not to participate in exhibition matches before the end of the year.
Her layoff mirrors that of fellow British player Sonay Kartal, who returned in September from a six-month absence caused by a back stress fracture. Kartal subsequently reached the third round of the China Open and defeated world number six Elina Svitolina and world number 12 Belinda Bencic on her way to the Wuhan Open final. Kartal noted the physical demands of returning to elite competition, stating, “Rehab is draining, and the body is not used to a lot of matches on the tour, so I do feel the aches and the pains from that.”
Since her 2021 US Open victory as a teenage qualifier, Raducanu has averaged 31 matches per season over the past five years. In 2026, she played 21 matches, suffering early exits at the Australian Open and Roland Garros after earlier dealing with bone bruising in her foot and a two-month illness following an event in Cluj. A final scan on the night before Wimbledon ultimately confirmed the shin stress fracture, ending her competitive season.
