Emma Raducanu set to play this tournament next as director confirms wildcard entry

Emma Raducanu has confirmed that she will miss celebrating Christmas with her family to kick-start her 2025 season.

Emma Raducanu set to play this tournament next as director confirms wildcard entry

Emma Raducanu (Image via Imago)

Emma Raducanu will miss Christmas with family in the UK as she is set to travel to Auckland for the ASB Classic to kick-start her 2025 season. Tournament director Nicolas Lamperin has confirmed that negotiations with Raducanu in September went smoothly.

For Lamperin, Raducanu is always the main player in the tournament. He said Raducanu’s ranking ‘doesn’t really matter’ as she brings ‘star power’ to the tournament, leading to ticket sales.

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It’s an investment but it’s worth it. We’ve seen the effect on ticket sales. Every time we have announced her there is always a major spike. We have also seen the reaction of our sponsors when we are having a discussion and sharing the possibility that she might be coming.

Nicolas Lamperin said (via Herald)

Although Raducanu is receiving significant attention from the tournament, she criticized the event after making her debut last year. She had injured her ankle in the second-round clash that was played indoors after continuous rain.

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It became a topic of discussion and Lamperin had to defend the tournament, but now, ‘it’s all behind’ and he has assured that such a ‘scenario’ would not happen again.

Emma Raducanu is looking forward to playing at the ASB Classic

Last year, Emma Raducanu needed a wild card to enter the tournament and got knocked out after a three-set defeat to Elina Svitolina in the fourth round. Although the World No. 58 criticized the tournament, Auckland is one of her favorite destinations as one of her friends lives there, plus the people are ‘very friendly’ and ‘hospitable’. 

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu (Image via X)

One of my best friends lives in Auckland and her family does too, so I think I will be there for Christmas Day. Over the last two years, we have gone an hour north to their beach house and had a barbeque there. It is really wholesome. The quality of the meat and fish is so fresh, and I am looking forward to it.

Emma Raducanu said (via ASB Classic)

Raducanu’s next target is to help her team at the Billie Jean King Cup in Malaga. It will be her first tournament in two months as she was forced to stay on the sidelines due to a foot injury she suffered during the Korea Open. The 21-year-old is 20-13 on the season and has not yet clinched a title since her successful run at the 2021 US Open.