Emma Raducanu makes five-word claim that will delight tennis fans

Emma Raducanu has delighted tennis fans by reaffirming the single biggest ambition in her career. Following a difficult few years since winning the US Open as a teenager, the British star is on the way back up the women’s rankings. She returned to the world’s top 100 thanks to her run to the fourth round at SW19 and intends to keep climbing.

Raducanu has made it clear that Wimbledon is her top priority, even missing this year’s French Open at Roland Garros to avoid a quick switch from clay to grass courts. In an interview with Marie Claire she said that her “long-term” ambition was to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish on Centre Court, declaring: “I want to win Wimbledon.”  She added: “But in the short term, I just want to keep staying healthy and improving my skills, working on the actual development of them rather than any immediate results. That’s my priority right now.”

Raducanu could have been competing at the Olympics in Paris. The 21-year-old, who is still managing her comeback after wrist and ankle surgery, turned down the invitation to represent Team GB because she did not want to switch back to playing on clay at Roland Garros ahead of the forthcoming US Open.

She instead opted to head to the United States to play in the Washington Open, where she lost to Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals. Raducanu has already admitted she had a bout of “FOMO” (fear of missing out) when she saw the opening ceremony in the French capital, but stands by the decision not to play.  “Had the Olympics been on a different surface, then I don’t know,” she said. “It’s obviously something that every athlete wants to be a part of.

“I had to think longer term. Hopefully I’ll have more Olympics in my career. I think coming here was 100% the right option.  “For immediate gratification, playing the Olympics would have been nice. But long-term perspective, long-term health, coming here… Also I love this tournament.  “Had it been a tournament maybe somewhere else that wasn’t as appealing to me, I probably could have reconsidered. But I love D.C. Coming here was very enticing.”