Raducanu's Wimbledon seeding hopes dashed after Berlin withdrawal
Ben Smith 
Emma Raducanu impressed at Queen's Club last week, eventually losing in the quarter-finals to hint at a promising grass court season ahead but it might not be so straightforward for the now British number one.
Still regarded as having an outside chance to win Wimbledon in a couple of weeks with betting sites, she will have to do it the hard way as she looks set to avoid seeding at SW19.
Free Bets tennis expert Ben Smith has had a closer look at Emma Raducanu's form and what missing the German Open means.
Emma Raducanu faces being unseeded at Wimbledon this summer after pulling out of the German Open due to a back issue.
The British number one needed a significant run in Berlin or at Queen’s Club to break into the top 32 for seeding. Her quarter-final defeat by Qinwen Zheng in London hurt her cause and also aggravated an injury to her lower back.
"It's been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before," she said. "It's just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it. I need to let the back rest. [It] needs proper and careful management."
Raducanu is still expected to take part in the Eastbourne Open next week. Last year at that event, she earned her first victory over a top 10 player, taking out Jessica Pegula in two hours and 46 minutes.
She went on to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the second time before suffering a surprise loss to Lulu Sun.
The 22-year-old is Britain’s biggest hope in the women’s singles draw in 2025, but bookmakers are laying big odds on the 2021 US Open champion. She can be backed at 50/1 with some firms to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Raducanu got off to a solid start at Queen’s, kicking off her grasscourt campaign with a doubles triumph alongside Katie Boulter as they saw off Xinyu Jiang and Fang-Hsien Wu.
The ‘Boultercanu’ journey ended in the following round at the hands of Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe, but Raducanu made progress in the singles thanks to straightforward successes over Cristina Bucsa and Rebecca Sramkova.
There was market support for the wildcard ahead of her quarter-final with top seed Zheng, so much so that she went off as the favourite, but the Chinese player prevailed in straight sets, forcing 15 break points on the Raducanu serve and converting five.
Not since the Nottingham Open in 2024 has Raducanu made the last four at a singles tournament. The US Open victory four years ago remains her only WTA Tour final appearance.
Competition will be stiff at SW19, with Aryna Sabalenka installed as the favourite despite never having reached a Wimbledon final. The world number one gets started on the grass this week in Berlin.
Elena Rybakina is her nearest rival according to the tennis betting markets. The Kazakhstani star won the title in 2022 and advanced to the semi-finals a year ago. She is down to number 11 in the WTA rankings, but remains a huge threat on this surface.
Coco Gauff had a dream clay-court swing, getting to the final in both WTA 1000 events before notching her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. The American burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2019, making the fourth round at the age of 15.
It is a tall order for Raducanu to compete with those at the top of the market, especially with her preparation being interrupted by fitness problems. A strong week at Eastbourne is crucial if she is able to participate.
We will have tennis betting tips every week in the build-up to Wimbledon, and then some pre-tournament selections ahead of the All England tournament.
