Watch: Emma Raducanu kicks off North American hardcourt swing preparation with practice session ahead of Washington Open
British tennis star Emma Raducanu has had a disappointing year thus far, exiting in the second round of all three Majors. However, she will be focused on the upcoming American hardcourt swing as the final Grand Slam of the year is just around the corner.
Raducanu was recently seen hitting the practice courts ahead of the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. The World No. 10 can be seen working on her groundstrokes from the baseline by bludgeoning some forehands.
The Citi Open will take place between August 1-7. Following the tournament are two WTA 1000 events ahead of the final Major of the year. The two events will be held in Montreal and Cincinnati, with the US Open set to begin on August 29.
Raducanu will be hoping to get some points in the bag ahead of the US Open as she has a whole host of ranking points to defend at this year's tournament, having won it last year despite coming through as a qualifier.
Raducanu has had an average season so far, partly due to the fact that she has had to deal with a number of injuries. Despite this, the teenager broke into the top 10 in the WTA rankings, becoming just the fifth British woman to do so.
@EmmaRaducanu enters the ranking at No.10 and is the fifth British woman to break into the Top 10 since the system was introduced!
Welcome to the Top 10 👋
🇬🇧 @EmmaRaducanu enters the ranking at No.10 and is the fifth British woman to break into the Top 10 since the system was introduced! https://t.co/2WIucaKWz4
Emma Raducanu has 2,040 points to defend at US Open
While Emma Raducanu sits among the top 10 players in the world at the moment, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to maintain her spot. The Brit has 2,717 points to her name, with 2,040 of those coming from last year's US Open triumph.
The Brit has plenty of tournaments leading up to the event in New York to accumulate points and climb up the rankings. With two WTA 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, deep runs in both will not only do a world of good to Emma Raducanu's confidence but will also help her consolidate her spot in the WTA rankings.