Emma Raducanu sits 59th in the WTA rankings despite another injury-affected season and has been nominated for Comeback of the Year at the WTA Awards; Jack Draper has been nominated for Most Improved Player of the Year at the ATP Awards
Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:29, UK
Emma Raducanu has been nominated for 'Comeback of the Year' at the WTA Awards, while Jack Draper has been nominated for 'Most Improved Player of the Year' at the ATP Awards.
Raducanu is up for the award due to her return from ankle surgery to get back into the world's top 60.
At the start of the season, she was ranked no 301 in the world and is now world no 58.
She is nominated in her category alongside Paula Badosa, for her comeback from a back injury that nearly ended her career and Naomi Osaka following her return from pregnancy and giving birth to her first child.
Karolina Muchova and Amanda Anisimova finish off the shortlist in the 'Comeback' category.
Meanwhile, Draper has been nominated in the ATP awards for 'Most Improved Player' in 2024 alongside Tomas Machac, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Alejandro Tabilo.
Draper's coach, James Trotman, is also nominated for 'Coach of the Year' while British No 3 Sonay Kartal is up for the 'Newcomer of the Year' at the WTA awards.
Kartal has climbed right up the rankings in a sensational year, picking up her first ever title at the WTA 250 Jasmin Open against Rebecca Sramkova.
Raducanu moving back inside the world's top 30 is a "completely realistic" target in 2025 if she can stay injury-free, according to former British No 1 Tim Henman.
The former US Open champion won 20 of her 33 matches in 2024, where she was sidelined with a foot injury for two months before making a winning return at the Billie Jean King Cup finals.
Raducanu said after representing Great Britain that she is "excited and itching" for 2025, with Henman hoping to see the 22-year-old stay fit and play a full WTA Tour schedule next season.
"I think the challenge for Raducanu is around physical resilience," Henman told the Sky Sports Tennis podcast.
"You talk about Katie Boulter and all the improvements that she made. Yes, she has got better as a tennis player, her movement has improved, but it's also the resilience to be able to play that full schedule.
"You saw Katie at the end of the year playing four or five tournaments in a row. She made a final in Hong Kong, at the last event of the year and finished in the top 25.
"Raducanu has had a decent year going from sort of 300 into the top 60 but, when you look at the amount of tennis she's played, she hasn't played a great deal. If she builds up that resilience, every time she steps on the court, she was playing good tennis.
"Therefore, top 50, top 30 in 2025, I think is completely realistic."
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