Jodie Burrage vows to overthrow Raducanu as British No.1
Jodie Burrage has set her sights on overtaking Emma Raducanu as British No 1 as she targets a positive grass-court season ahead of Wimbledon.
Burrage and the rest of the leading British women are beginning their grass-court campaigns this week at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy, and there is a good chance that by the end of the week one of them will have passed Raducanu.
Burrage, 24, and Katie Boulter are best placed but Harriet Dart and Katie Swan are also in contention, with the quartet all looking to push on into the top 100.
I would love to be able to say I got to British number one but, one, I’m not there yet, two, it could not happen, so overall I’m just looking at boosting my ranking up to get me in Grand Slam main draws and that’s my real focus.
Jodie Burrage
Burrage is optimistic the domestic picture will look healthier come the end of Wimbledon after no British women qualified for main draw of this year’s French Open for the first time since 2008.
“It is a bit of a timing thing. There are obviously quite a few of us that are 110-140 so I’m sure in the grass-court season some of those girls are going to push through,” said Burrage.
“It is obviously disappointing from a British outlook but I can’t really focus on the whole of British tennis. I’m at my career-high ranking and have had some really good wins and a really good season.”
Burrage suffered bone stress in her arm which forced her to miss her chance to qualify for Roland Garros.
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It was particularly frustrating for Burrage because she had just reached her career-high ranking of 106 after winning a second-tier tournament in France.
“I just want to know where I could be if I get wins, it motivates me” – but she is thinking wider than simply British number one.
“It’s definitely a big goal to be British number one,” she said. “Obviously rankings and stuff is done throughout the world so I guess I kind of focus more on your actual ranking.
“I would love to be able to say I got to British number one but, one, I’m not there yet, two, it could not happen, so overall I’m just looking at boosting my ranking up to get me in Grand Slam main draws and that’s my real focus.”
Another major target is to force her way into Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team for their play-off against Sweden in November.