The debate had been swirling for weeks – press rooms buzzing, social media sparking, and podcasts dissecting every angle of the ever-growing tennis calendar. But amid the rising noise, British tennis star Emma Raducanu stepped into the conversation with the calm of someone who’d seen both sides of the sport: the spotlight and the shadows.

Talking about hectic tennis schedules, we’ve seen Carlos Alcaraz complaining that the current schedule is pushing players to the brink and that they are probably trying to “kill” them. While Iga Swiatek labelled the tennis schedule as “crazy” and said “we play too much.” Even British star Jack Draper raised his voice on the same. “Injuries are going to happen… we are pushing our bodies to do things they aren’t supposed to in elite sport.” But surprisingly, Raducanu has taken a different stance from these players. She criticized her fellow players for “moaning” about the Tour schedule.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Emma Raducanu offered a reality check that landed like a clean winner down the line. “I think that’s a challenge. I don’t necessarily think it’s something to complain about because it’s what we are given. And we are making a great living as well.” It wasn’t dismissive. It wasn’t careless. It was grounded – and more importantly, honest. Raducanu has lived the highs and lows of the Tour as intensely as anyone: the explosive fame, chronic injuries, surgeries, scrutiny, and the pressure of being the face of British tennis at 23. But still her tone suggested a perspective built from experience, not privilege.

“I mean, it’s not all glamorous. There are definitely times when it’s very difficult, and we are flagging mentally, physically, and everything hurts. But at the same time, what are we going to do about it? I am sure there are certain people who go to work, and their bosses make them do something, but they have to do it; it’s their job. If we put up a front that isn’t complaining, I think that is a better example to the people watching, trying to get into tennis, the younger people. If they see all the top players moaning about the calendar, I don’t think that’s necessarily inspiring to look up to.”

In a sport where transparency often takes the shape of frustration, Emma Raducanu is offering a different blueprint – one that blends realism with gratitude and toughness with awareness. This year, Raducanu played 50 matches, and guess what? That’s the most she has played in the last five years. She won 28 matches this year. Although she didn’t win any titles this year, Raducanu reached the QFs of the Miami Open, HSBC Championships, and the SF of the Citi Open.

So, it was more or less a decent season for the Brit, especially considering the challenges she had to go through in terms of physical battles in the last few seasons. But now it’s time to shift our focus to what’s lining up for her in 2026.

Which tournaments are lined up for Emma Raducanu in the next two months?

Emma Raducanu is not leaving anything to chance in 2026. After a year defined by stop-start momentum, the British number one has pressed reset with a clear mission: build a stronger base level, dictate more matches, and stop worrying about what’s happening to the other side of the net. She had already started her pre-season training with coach Francisco Roig in Barcelona. All she now wants is to see what Roig can add to her game.

“He wants me to focus a lot more on building a better Emma Raducanu and a better base level. It’s something that I don’t think I’ve necessarily done before. I’ve always been more tactical, more just having to exploit their weaknesses if they have any, and trying to be very crafty. And it works. But the ideal is that you don’t have to necessarily think too much about the other players – you can just go and execute your game and know that you can win. He’s trying to build a better quality, not necessarily by changing my physiological capacities, but by using better technique, better timing, and better movement.”

Her goal is now to try dictating the game a lot more. Other than Roig, she has also added Emma Stewart, a physiotherapist, to her team. Emma Raducanu has taken a lot of confidence from being able to play 22 tournaments across 9 months in 2025. Now, with these new additions, she will be keen to find ways to make a good start in 2026.

If we take a look at what’s coming next for the Brit, well, she has already confirmed her participation at the United Cup, which starts on January 2. Following that, she will be seen in action at the AO and then probably at the Abu Dhabi Open, Qatar Open, and Dubai Tennis Championships in February. Do you think Raducanu can find more successes in 2026?