Emma Raducanu’s run to the Queen’s Club final last week earned widespread attention, with the British No. 1 defeating Iva Jovic, Sorana Cirstea, Anna Blinkova, and Kamilla Rakhimova before falling to Donna Vekic in the final. Vekic claimed the title 6-0, 7-6 to deny Raducanu her first WTA title at the grass-court event. The result nonetheless lifted Raducanu to World No. 31 in the rankings, placing her within seeded entry contention for Wimbledon as the tournament’s seedings deadline approaches.
However, the circumstances surrounding her involvement at the Nottingham Open have drawn criticism. Raducanu accepted a wildcard into the WTA 250 event — a spot she secured ahead of her Queen’s Club quarter-final against Rakhimova — only to withdraw after losing the Queen’s final to Vekic. Her stated reason was a “change of schedule” rather than injury, a distinction that has significant implications for how the situation is viewed within the sport.
Wildcards at WTA 250 events are limited in number and are typically awarded to players who can boost the competitive profile of a tournament, often at the expense of other eligible players — in this case, fellow British competitors who could have benefited from the opportunity. When a wildcard recipient withdraws for non-medical reasons, it leaves the tournament short of the star power it anticipated when issuing the invitation.
The episode has prompted calls for a formal rule change on both the ATP and WTA Tours that would prevent players from withdrawing from events where they have received a wildcard entry, unless they are confirmed to be injured. Under current regulations, no such restriction exists, allowing players to accept wildcards and subsequently withdraw for non-injury-related reasons without penalty.
Raducanu’s withdrawal also had a broader impact on the Nottingham Open’s draw. With neither Jovic nor Jacqueline Cristian featuring in the tournament either, the event has been left with a reduced field of high-profile names heading into the grass-court swing.
It remains unclear whether Raducanu will compete again before Wimbledon begins. The Eastbourne Open, a WTA 250 event held on the South Coast in the week prior to Wimbledon, is one potential option. Raducanu is not currently listed on the entry list for Eastbourne, but according to reports, the tournament would likely consider offering her a wildcard given her current ranking and profile.
Should Raducanu enter at Eastbourne, she would rank as the third-highest-seeded player in the draw based on current standings, behind only Jasmine Paolini and Madison Keys. Other players already entered include Jelena Ostapenko, Barbora Krejčíková, Jacqueline Cristian, Maria Sakkari, Janice Tjen, and McCartney Kessler.
Raducanu has a track record at Eastbourne, having competed at the event in each of the past two years. In 2024, she reached the quarter-finals of the tournament. A strong showing there ahead of Wimbledon would further consolidate her ranking gains from Queen’s Club and provide additional grass-court match sharpness going into the Grand Slam.
