Raducanu could secure protected ranking with early season exit
Key points
- Emma Raducanu has been sidelined since June with a stress fracture and has dropped from No 31 to No 107 in the rankings.
- She could end her 2026 season early and qualify for a protected WTA ranking after six months out.
- A protected ranking would let her enter up to eight tournaments, including a maximum of two Grand Slams.
Emma Raducanu may end her 2026 season early as she recovers from a stress fracture, a move that could allow her to use a protected WTA ranking. The former US Open champion has not played since June, when she was ranked world No 31.
Her absence has pushed her outside the top 100 to No 107, leaving her as Britain's third-highest-ranked woman behind Katie Boulter and Fran Jones. Raducanu, 23, has 11 wins and 10 defeats in 2026.
Queen's run before injury
Despite an injury-disrupted campaign, Raducanu reached the final at the Queen's Club Championships, where she lost to Croatia's Donna Vekic.
Possible protected ranking benefit
If she sits out the rest of the season and returns in 2027, she could qualify for a protected ranking after six months sidelined through injury. The provision would allow her to enter up to eight tournaments using that ranking, including a maximum of two Grand Slam events.
The move could be valuable as she plans her comeback. The 2027 Australian Open is scheduled for January 18 to February 1.
