Emma Raducanu could find herself unable to compete at next year’s Olympics despite claiming she would “love to” play. The country’s top-ranked woman has not represented the national team for almost a year. After making herself “unavailable” for next month’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier tie, Raducanu is running out of chances to make herself eligible for Paris 2024.
Raducanu recently discussed her Olympic dream after she wasn’t named in Britain’s BJK Cup squad for the upcoming qualifier tie against France. The world No 72 said she was “unavailable”, leaving captain Anne Keothavong to select the same squad that played in November.
It came after the 20-year-old said she “didn’t know” when the tie was taking place. But Raducanu’s second successive absence from the BJK Cup team could ruin her hopes of playing in next year’s Olympic Games.
In order to be eligible for the upcoming Olympics, a player must represent their national team at least twice in the four years between each edition. And the time frame has been reduced to three years for the upcoming games in Paris with the Tokyo Olympics previously being postponed to 2021.
Raducanu has represented Britain just once in that time – at last year’s BJK Cup qualifier tie. She was forced to pull out of the Finals in November with a wrist injury and was not part of the squad at this year’s inaugural United Cup, opting to play in Auckland instead.
The 20-year-old said she had been advised against representing her nation next month because of the quick change between surfaces at the BJK Cup in Coventry and her next event, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Britain’s tie against France will be played on a hard court while Stuttgart is an indoor clay event.
“I think because of my existing injuries, the best medical advice was to not switch surfaces at such short notice. So that’s what I’ve been told,” she explained after her Miami Open defeat. It also hasn’t gone unnoticed that Porsche – the title sponsor of the Stuttgart event – also sponsors Raducanu, potentially leaving her obligated to compete.
But Raducanu will need to make herself available for the team at least once more before next summer’s Paris Olympics, with two more opportunities looming. Britain will either get to play in the Finals or the play-offs in November depending on the result of next month’s qualifier.
The team could also be granted a wildcard into the BJK Cup Finals if Britain hosts the tournament as they did last year. The team will then have another qualifier tie next April, and the former world No 10 appears keen to represent her country when her injuries are under control.
“Of course I would love to play the Billie Jean King Cup. It’s just this scenario is not the best for my body. I really need to look after myself and do what’s best for me on the match court,” she said.
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