Emma Raducanu has played just 14 matches in 2026 as injuries and illness have disrupted her progress and that is one of the reasons why she has taken a backward step in the tennis rankings.

Raducanu pulled out of the Miami Open last month and saw plenty of points drop off her ranking as a result, but she has managed to remain in the top 30 of the WTA Rankings and held onto her position as British No 1.

However, the UTR Rating offers an alternative ranking viewpoint, as it reflects current form rather than relying on the rolling 52-week ranking method used by the WTA Tour.

The UTR rankings are calculated using a different method to the traditional ATP list, with current form and the ranking of your opponent taken into account when the final analysis is made.

The method for calculating the UTR ratings differs greatly from the rolling ATP list, which ranks players based on the points they collect over 52 weeks.

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Victories against higher-ranked players are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA ranking, meaning they offer up a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.

The UTR rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.

All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale between 1.00 and 16.50 based on actual match results.

The UTR rankings have been endorsed by 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who has suggested they may offer a more accurate reflection of the current form in the game and that may be why Raducanu has been overtaken in these rankings by her former junior British rival Sonay Kartal.

Raducanu is currently ranked at No 28 in the WTA list, with Kartal down at No 54, but the roles are reversed in the UTR list.

Kartal is siting at No 25 in the updated UTR Ratings, with Raducanu now one place behind at No 26.

Kartal’s run to the last 16 at the WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells included wins against the American duo of Emma Navarro and 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys, with those wins boosting Kartal’s UTR Rating to No 24, pushing her one ahead of Raducanu.

These two players grew up together in Britain and played against each other in junior events, but they have yet to meet on the professional stage.

They were on a collision course to meet in the second round at the Miami Open, but both players were forced to withdraw from the Florida tournament due to injury.

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Katie Boulter is also on the comeback trail and after winning a tournament in Czechia in February, she is up to No 62 in the WTA Rankings, but he current form is rewarded with a position at No 30 in the UTR Rating list, just four spots behind Raducanu.

Raducanu is taking some time away from the game as she looks to recover from a viral, with the latest reports suggesting she could make a comeback at this month’s Madrid Open.

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