Emma Raducanu's Tennis Rank Goes Up Even With Losses

British tennis player Emma Raducanu's world ranking has gone up recently, reaching No. 29. This is happening even though she has lost some matches and retired from others. She is also dealing with comments on social media. Her ranking has changed a lot since she won the US Open.
By Newsroom | Tennis, United Kingdom |

The recent trajectory of British tennis player Emma Raducanu shows a notable rise in her world rankings, occurring even as she navigates challenging on-court results and public scrutiny on social media platforms. This period of ranking improvement is occurring despite losses in tournaments like the China Open and Wuhan Open, and it presents a complex picture of her professional standing. The data indicates a divergence between her competitive outcomes and her numerical position within the global tennis hierarchy.

Emma Raducanu soars up world rankings despite being humiliated - 1

Overview of Recent Performance and Ranking Shifts

Emma Raducanu has seen her world ranking climb in the period around October and November 2025. Reports indicate she has moved from positions around No. 33 and No. 39 to No. 30 and No. 29 in successive weeks. This upward movement is happening despite a series of recent defeats and retirements from tournaments.

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Emma Raducanu soars up world rankings despite being humiliated - 2

  • October 2025: Raducanu reached world No. 30 after losing in the round of 32 at the China Open to Jessica Pegula. She also climbed to No. 29 after retiring from the Wuhan Open due to illness.

  • September 2025: She was ranked world No. 33 following a third-round exit at the US Open, having previously been at No. 39. Another report from the same date notes her at No. 33 after a two-spot climb, up from No. 60 at the start of the year.

  • Transylvania Open: Raducanu reached a final at the Transylvania Open, which contributed to a rankings boost, although she lost this final. She was scheduled to play the Qatar Open shortly after.

Public Discourse and Social Media Activity

During this period of ranking ascent, Raducanu has been the subject of considerable attention on social media. Reports suggest she was involved in a "social media storm" at the China Open. The exact nature of this "storm" is not fully detailed, but it is described as a situation where "Other X users weren't impressed with this wording, claiming that Raducanu was being unfairly targeted with these comments." Following a loss, she is quoted as saying, "I think I was doing things that I wasn't really doing in the first part of the year," suggesting a personal reflection on her performance or approach.

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Career Context and Ranking Fluctuations

Raducanu's current ranking improvements come after a significant period of recovery and repositioning. After her US Open victory in 2022, she underwent multiple surgeries. Her comeback began outside the top 300, and she experienced a substantial drop to No. 83 after failing to defend points from a previous tournament. The absence of points to defend in certain tournaments, such as the Qatar Open, has been highlighted as an opportunity for her ranking to continue its rise. Her ranking history shows substantial year-on-year variations, with season highs and lows ranging from No. 10 to No. 1306 in different years, underscoring a history of significant fluctuations.

Emma Raducanu soars up world rankings despite being humiliated - 4

On-Court Challenges and Physical Concerns

Despite the positive trend in her rankings, Raducanu has faced several on-court difficulties.

  • China Open: Lost to Jessica Pegula in the round of 32.

  • Wuhan Open: Retired from her first-round match against Ann Li due to illness. Reports noted she was "maybe not moving as much" towards the end of the match.

  • Transylvania Open: Lost in the final, having required medical attention on court at one point. She had previously won matches in straight sets en route to the final.

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Her team's initial reluctance to speak to the media after matches, followed by her own updates, indicates a level of challenge in managing public perception alongside her physical condition.

Expert Commentary and Future Outlook

While direct expert analysis on the current ranking rise amidst these challenges is limited in the provided data, general sentiment regarding Raducanu's potential persists. One source notes, "I still think she has a very bright future ahead of her." This outlook appears to be based on her past performances, such as her aggressive style seen during her US Open win and her journey to the Transylvania Open final. The focus for her remains on regaining consistent form and achieving her first WTA Tour title.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Emma Raducanu's world ranking has shown a consistent upward movement in late 2025, reaching as high as No. 29. This progression occurs against a backdrop of significant on-court setbacks, including early-round losses and tournament retirements due to illness. Simultaneously, she has faced public commentary on social media, which some observers have labelled as unfair targeting. Her career thus far has been marked by substantial ranking volatility, particularly following her US Open victory and subsequent surgeries.

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The evidence suggests that Raducanu's ranking is benefiting from a combination of her competitive efforts, particularly reaching finals and later rounds in tournaments like the Transylvania Open, and potentially from having fewer points to defend from previous successful seasons. Her immediate schedule includes participating in tournaments like the Qatar Open. The contrast between her ranking gains and her current competitive results warrants continued observation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Emma Raducanu's current tennis ranking?
Her ranking has gone up to No. 29 in the world.
Q: Is she winning many matches right now?
No, she has lost some matches and had to stop playing in others because she was sick or hurt.
Q: Why is her ranking going up if she is losing?
Her ranking might be going up because she reached a final in one tournament and doesn't have many points to defend from last year.
Q: Has she faced issues online?
Yes, she has faced comments on social media that some people think are unfair.
Q: What happened in her career before?
She won the US Open but then had surgeries. Her ranking dropped a lot, but she is working to improve it.