June 28th 2024.
Emma Raducanu made the difficult decision to skip the French Open in order to dedicate her full attention to the upcoming grass swing. And while she may have her sights set on success at Wimbledon, British tennis legend Tim Henman has issued a warning about her compatriot Katie Boulter.
After defeating Raducanu in the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open just two weeks ago, Boulter went on to claim the trophy and secure her third WTA Tour title. This victory has only added to her impressive record, which includes overcoming a top 10 player for the first time.
On the other hand, Raducanu has struggled to find her footing since her incredible triumph at the US Open as a qualifier three years ago. Despite her recent victory over a top 10 player, she has not been able to replicate her Grand Slam success and has yet to win a WTA Tour title. To make matters worse, Boulter even took over the title of British No.1 while Raducanu was sidelined with an injury last year.
With Wimbledon just around the corner, The Agency asked Henman for his opinion on which of the two British players would go further in the women's singles this year. "That's a good question," he replied. "I think probably Katie Boulter. She's on the cusp of breaking into the top 20 and has more experience and match play under her belt."
Henman believes that both players have the potential to make it to the second week of the tournament and create exciting storylines for the British crowds. "Those British stories are always fascinating at the Championships," he said. "When you have both men and women playing well and the fans behind them, it creates a special atmosphere. Let's hope there will be even more of those stories this year."
Boulter, who is currently dating fellow tennis player Alex de Minaur, will be seeded for the first time at Wimbledon as she sits at world No.32 in the rankings. In contrast, Raducanu, who reached a career-high ranking of No.10 in 2022, needed a wildcard to enter and is currently ranked at No.168.
Last year, Boulter matched her best-ever performance at Wimbledon by reaching the third round. As for Raducanu, she was forced to miss the tournament due to injury, but in 2021, she made it to the fourth round, her deepest run at the Championships to date. This year, she surprised many by skipping the French Open to focus on her preparations for the grass-court season.
It remains to be seen who will come out on top at Wimbledon, but one thing is for sure: both Raducanu and Boulter will be determined to make their mark on the prestigious tournament and continue to make headlines for British tennis.
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