Emma Raducanu will make her return to competitive tennis at the United Cup in January, ending more than six months on the sidelines with a stress fracture in her leg. The former US Open champion is set to represent Great Britain at the mixed-team event in Australia, which runs from 1 to 10 January 2027.

Raducanu has not played a competitive match since losing the Queen's Club final to Donna Vekic on 14 June 2026. A stress fracture in her lower right leg, confirmed by a scan on the night before Wimbledon, ruled her out of the rest of the season, including Wimbledon, the US Open and the WTA Tour's Asian swing.

A season cut short in June

The 23-year-old played only 21 matches in 2026. She reached two finals, in Cluj-Napoca and at Queen's, but lost both, and suffered early exits in her two Grand Slam appearances, falling in the second round of the Australian Open and at the first hurdle at Roland-Garros.

Raducanu made a gradual return to training in early September, and recent practice sessions in London with head coach Andrew Richardson and LTA national coach Alex Ward have been increasing in intensity, according to reports. She has also shared clips of herself working in the gym and back on court as she builds towards the new season.

Because she has been out of action for more than six months, Raducanu is eligible for a protected ranking in 2027. She was ranked world No. 107 on 12 October 2026, having been ranked No. 31 when she last played in June.

United Cup first, then Australia

The United Cup is a mixed-team event split between Perth and Sydney, combining men's and women's singles with mixed doubles. Raducanu is set to join up with Arthur Fery for the Great Britain team as she bids to regain form and fitness ahead of the Australian Open.

Her last appearance at the event, in January 2026, was disrupted by injury. She was unable to play her scheduled match against Naomi Osaka and played only once, losing in three sets to Maria Sakkari.

The Lawn Tennis Association has also announced that Raducanu will return to Queen's Club in 2027. For now, the focus is on a careful comeback: no exhibitions are planned between now and the end of the year, with a spell of warm-weather training expected before she travels to Australia.