Raducanu to climb rankings despite 2nd-round exit but Osaka's ranking freefall continues

Despite a heartbreaking loss in the second round of the Australian Open, British tennis star Emma Raducanu is expected to see a boost in her WTA rankings. The 19-year-old was defeated by Montenegrin tennis star Danka Kovinic due to blisters on her hands. Raducanu appeared to be struggling throughout the match, but she fought valiantly and even won the second of the three sets. However, she was eventually defeated by Kovinic 6-4 4-6 6-3.

Raducanu is currently ranked 18th in the WTA singles rankings but her standing is expected to improve following the conclusion of the Australian Open. Raducanu has already seen her ranking jump to 13th position in the live WTA rankings. She has leapfrogged the likes of Naomi Osaka and Cori Gauff. 

"I was struggling with my hand before the match. There were some people in my team that maybe didn’t want me to play but I wanted to go out there and fight through it, see how far I could get. But I thought it was a pretty good learning experience for me. I discovered tools about myself and my game that I didn’t know I had before so I can take some positives even from this match," Raducanu said after her defeat in the second round of the Australian Open. 

Raducanu became a global sensation last year after she won her maiden Grand Slam championship at the US Open in September. She also made history by becoming the first British female player to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade in 1977. After her win at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu's ranking significantly improved as she jumped from being World No. 345 at the start of the season to breaking into the top-25.  

Osaka drops in WTA rankings

Meanwhile, former Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka's WTA ranking is expected to witness a massive decline following her loss in the third round of the Australian Open. Osaka lost her match to Amanda Anisimova 4-6 6-3,7-6. Osaka is currently ranked 14th in the world with 2696 points to her name. Osaka has been struggling to find form ever since her decision to take break from the sport citing mental health issues. 

Image: AP