Emma Raducanu’s replacement for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers has been confirmed just days after the British tennis star revealed she had made the ‘tough’ choice to pull out of the competition.
The former US Open champion recently displayed strong form at the Miami Open, where she secured wins over eighth seed Emma Navarro and 17th seed Amanda Anisimova to reach the quarterfinals, before being defeated by fourth seed Jessica Pegula.
Thanks to her impressive performance, Raducanu has returned to the world’s top 50 for the first time in almost three years.
Nonetheless, the British player opted for the tough choice of withdrawing from the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers to prioritize her physical well-being. It has now been confirmed that Jodie Burrage will take her place, joining Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal, Harriet Dart, and Olivia Nicholls. This will mark Burrage’s third appearance at the event, following her debut against Sweden in 2023. Despite facing several injury setbacks recently, the player managed to secure the WTA100 title in Dubai and notch wins at the season’s first Grand Slam. Responding to her selection, Burrage expressed on Instagram that she is “very excited to join these girls.”
After Raducanu’s withdrawal, team captain Anne Keothavong remarked that she understands how tough this decision was for Emma. She noted that while the team will undoubtedly miss a player of her caliber, given her impressive history representing the country, she has complete confidence in the athletes traveling next week and mentioned that a fifth team member will be announced in due course.
Former British No. 1 Tim Henman shared his thoughts following Raducanu’s loss in Miami and commended her packed schedule for 2025. He noted that it’s positive to see her playing more frequently since Australia. Although she’s participated in a few tournaments without consistently strong results, he believes that her intense training regimen—with the help of a physical trainer—has noticeably enhanced her offensive and defensive movement. Henman also highlighted that her emphasis on enjoying the game and staying true to herself allows her to showcase a unique style on the court. He pointed out that she seems very comfortable with her new approach, especially after changing coaches.
Not everyone is inclined to change their approach like that, but she’s comfortable with it. In my view, as Marion mentioned, developing physical resilience is crucial. That aspect has been missing in her game, as she nearly turned her career upside down by qualifying and even winning that Grand Slam without a strong physical foundation.
There was a period when her body was failing her during matches. The encouraging development this year is that she’s been able to compete more consistently, and I’m hopeful that improved results will follow.
