Emma Raducanu has added another tournament to her Asian swing after accepting a main draw wildcard for the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, which starts on October 13th.
This week, Raducanu played her first post-US Open tournament in Seoul, where she didn't get too far after losing to Barbora Krejcikova in the round-of-16. Across the next three weeks, the British tennis player is slated to appear at the WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan.
After concluding her Beijing and Wuhan campaigns, Raducanu will compete in Ningbo alongside several well-known names - Zheng Qinwen, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, etc. For the Briton, it will be her maiden appearance in Ningbo. Last year, the 22-year-old was signed up for the tournament but had to withdraw at the last moment due to an injury.
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Raducanu wants to play a lot in Asia so she can faster 'get in sync' with her new coach
In early August, Raducanu added Francisco Roig to her team. Roig is a very familiar name in tennis, having worked with Rafael Nadal for 17 years. After pulling out of this week's Billie Jean King Cup Finals and deciding to play in Seoul instead, the Briton caught criticism. But she had an explanation for her move.
"It was a truly difficult decision. I love the BJK Cup so much, and last year, I gave it my all despite the difficult circumstances (a draw against the British team). However, the Korea Open was a crucial time for me to get in sync with my new coach, Francis," Raducanu explained.
"Even though it was the end of the season, I felt it was more important to work with an experienced coach ahead of the Asian swing. I wanted to prioritize working with him and further developing myself. Having the opportunity to develop with such an experienced coach was the main reason I decided to participate in the Asia Series, starting with this Korea Open."
