Before last weekend's Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers, Emma Raducanu was most recently in action at Indian Wells, where she gave Aryna Sabalenka all she could handle in two tight sets.
If the 2021 US Open champion was happy with her performance in reaching the third round of the WTA 1000 event, she was ecstatic after wins for Great Britain against Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry in France. In addition to the joy of sending her nation to the 2024 BJK Cup Finals, Raducanu was also buoyed by the ever-rising level of her game on the host nation's clay courts.
“Tennis-wise I have improved because I feel like I am playing the best tennis of my career and my life,” Raducanu said after clinching her nation's 3-1 road qualifying victory, as quoted on BBC Sport.
“To come through the moments that I did the last two days it took a strong character when the whole stadium is pretty much against you.”
The 21-year-old notched comeback wins against both of her Top 50 opponents on Friday and Saturday. She beat former world No. 4 and 2022 US Open semifinalist Garcia, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, on Day 1 of the tie before roaring back for a decisive 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(1) result against rising star Parry.
"Emma has put the work in and she can take pride in her performances," said British captain Anne Keothavong. "It was a great effort [Friday], a great match between her and Caroline. [Against Parry] as well, she was able to adapt and she is an incredible tennis player, she has an incredible tennis brain.
"It is nerve-wracking on the sidelines because a lot of it is out of your control. She trusts her instincts and knows what she is doing out there."
Keothavong also added that Raducanu "showed real star quality" with her inspired efforts, while Katie Boulter shared a story that revealed her teammate's leadership qualities. Boulter was beaten by Parry on Friday, but said a "very sweet message" from Raducanu that night helped her regroup to beat Clara Burel the next day.
"That was the main thing that got me through Saturday," Boulter explained. "It means a lot coming from someone like her. She's such a star."
Raducanu has now won four of her past five matches between Indian Wells and BJK Cup, having pulled out of Miami with a lower-back injury in between.
Her recent success on the French dirt sets her up well for the WTA Tour's European clay swing, which begins this week for her in Stuttgart and culminates at Roland Garros in May and June. Raducanu has competed at the Paris major just once before, reaching the second round in 2022.
