Emma Raducanu set for United Cup return with special ranking approved

Emma Raducanu is set to resume her career at the United Cup in Australia in the first week of 2027, ending an absence that began in June. BBC Sport's tennis correspondent Russell Fuller reported that the 2021 US Open champion will return in the national-team competition after missing Wimbledon and the US Open with a stress fracture in her shin.

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The 23-year-old last competed in the Queen's Club final on 14 June, losing to Donna Vekic in her first grass-court title match. She withdrew from Wimbledon on the eve of her opening match two weeks later. According to the BBC report, Raducanu said the fracture was confirmed by a final scan the night before the championships, following a period in which she had continued some training despite medical advice.

Her decision to wait until January also gives her access to a special ranking of 38. The provision is available after an injury absence of at least six months, and her application was approved shortly before Monday's United Cup entry deadline. The ranking reflects her position after Wimbledon, where she received some prize money despite not taking the court.

Raducanu's current ranking is 107, a position the BBC reported would probably leave her outside the Australian Open main draw and many other tour events. The special ranking will allow her to enter eight tournaments next year, including two Grand Slams and five WTA 1000 events. It provides access to Melbourne as well as the subsequent tournaments in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami.

For United Cup entry purposes, the ranking of 38 makes Raducanu Britain's leading woman. Arthur Fery, Francesca Jones, Jan Choinski, Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls are also in the British squad. The 18-team tournament runs from 1-10 January, with Britain drawn against Australia and France for group matches in Sydney.

Raducanu began a gradual return to training in early September. The BBC reported that recent London sessions with head coach Andrew Richardson and LTA national coach Alex Ward had grown more intense, according to observers. She considered autumn tournaments in Asia but has instead delayed competition until January. Her interrupted 2026 season comprised 21 matches, compared with a career-high 50 the previous year.