As the 2025 tennis season approaches, Emma Raducanu is gearing up for action as she heads to Auckland for her opening tournament of the year. The British No. 1 will feature at the ASB Classic, competing against a host of elite players on the WTA Tour.
Since her stunning triumph at the US Open in 2022, Raducanu has faced a string of injury setbacks. However, the 2024 campaign saw her resiliently participate in 13 tournaments, despite battling foot and back injuries, ultimately finishing the season ranked World No. 57. Now, she has her sights firmly set on making significant strides in 2025, with the ASB Classic marking her season debut.
In a recent update shared by her new fitness coach, Yutaka Nakamura, fans caught a glimpse of Raducanu as she departed for Auckland. The snapshot, posted on Friday, shows the 22-year-old alongside Nakamura and her head coach, Nick Cavaday, highlighting the team’s camaraderie as they embark on this new chapter.
This year marks the third consecutive occasion that Raducanu will commence her season at the ASB Classic. In 2023, she began strongly, defeating Linda Fruhvirtova before bowing out to Viktoria Hruncakova in the second round. The following year, she again exited in the second round, this time overcoming Elena-Gabriela Ruse before losing to the eventual runner-up, Elina Svitolina.
Raducanu won’t be alone in the spotlight at the 2025 ASB Classic, as she shares the stage with tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is making her highly anticipated return to Auckland after an eight-year hiatus, entering the tournament as the seventh seed in the women’s singles draw. During her last appearance in 2017, she reached the quarterfinals.
Simona Halep, another two-time Grand Slam winner, will also grace Auckland, entering the fray thanks to a wildcard. This will be her first appearance at the ASB Classic since 2013, having also competed in the event back in 2011.
Heading into the ASB Classic, World No. 21 Madison Keys is the top seed, followed by second seed Elise Mertens, third seed Amanda Anisimova, and fourth seed Lulu Sun, who captured attention with her remarkable quarterfinal run at Wimbledon in 2024. Notably absent from this year’s tournament are two-time defending champion Coco Gauff and last year’s runner-up, Elina Svitolina.
