Emma Raducanu is still trying to find her true dimension after her life changed in 2021, when she won the title at the US Open at 18 years old leaving the whole world speechless. There is no doubt that that extraordinary triumph was premature in the career of the British star, who struggled more than expected to find continuity in the following seasons while also having many injuries.

The body has betrayed her in various circumstances in recent years, without forgetting that she has changed many coaches and has never found the stability necessary to compete at the highest level. Her 2025 season has been characterized by ups and downs, but Emma has shown some positive flashes by reducing the number of injuries and deciding to rely on a top coach like Francisco Roig starting from the summer.

Their collaboration is expected to last a long time and has already been confirmed for 2026, which will be a very important year to understand the real ambitions of the former world number 10. The WTA tour would need Raducanu to compete to win the most prestigious titles on the calendar, but to succeed in this intent she must take a step forward both physically and mentally. Roig – who has worked with a legend like Rafael Nadal for many years – could be the right person to allow her to have her definitive consecration.

Raducanu wants to shine in 2026

In a recent interview with ‘ITV’, top coach Patrick Mouratoglou criticized the choices Emma made after her sensational triumph in New York four years ago: “I think she has huge potential, but after winning a Grand Slam title she struggled to make the right decisions. I think he has changed too many coaches in recent years. If you look at all the players who have been successful, you see that they have gone through a path of several years with their team to reach their peak.”

The former world number 10 had to miss the last tournaments of 2025 due to a new injury.

Sepp Straka made three birdies and two eagles on the par 5s for an 8-under 64 and seized on some late misses by Scottie Scheffler to take a one-shot lead Saturday going into the final round of the Hero World Challenge.

Straka chipped in for eagle on the par-5 sixth and played great golf just to keep pace with Scheffler, who had five straight 3s on his scorecard to start the third round and was 9 under for his round through 15 holes.

Scheffler, going for a third straight win at Albany Golf Club, has stumbled over the final three holes every day this week — a double bogey on the 16th on Thursday, a bogey on the 16th on Friday, and then a bogey-par-bogey finish.

He still had a 65 and will be in the final group with Straka on Sunday.

Straka seized on the par 5s. Along with his chip-in on the sixth hole, he holed an 18-foot eagle putt on the downwind, par-5 15th. He also hit a 3-wood that landed perfectly in front of the green at the par-5 ninth that rolled out to 15 feet for a two-putt birdie.

He trailed Scheffler by three shots through five holes, and by two shots with four holes left. But Straka was bogey-free on the day and finished at 18-under 198.

“He definitely got it going quick,” Straka said of the world’s No. 1 player. “It didn’t look like he was going to miss a putt there for a little bit. But it’s golf, it usually evens out a lot and I just tried to focus on my own game.”

The only par 4 that Straka birdied was No. 7, where the tee was moved back. That kept players from trying to drive the green and instead tested them with a wedge to a dangerous back-left pin. Straka took it on and hit it to 7 feet.

Scheffler, who went left of the 16th fairway the opening two rounds — one of those leading to a penalty drop from a bush — this time found the short grass and it wasn’t much better. He had an awkward stance, tugged it left into a bunker and the ball buried in the sand, leading to bogey.

He also dropped a shot on the 18th by missing the green to the right — water is left — leaving a tricky pitch up the slope.

“A few unfortunate breaks, but overall did some really good stuff,” Scheffler said.

Alex Noren (67) and Hideki Matsuyama (68) were three shots behind Straka, while J.J. Spaun and Wyndham Clark each shot 69 and were four behind.

Jordan Spieth will surely be extremely disappointed if he was hoping to prove a point to his critics at the Hero World Challenge this past week.

The 2025 season proved to be a mixed bag for Jordan Spieth. It was always likely that he was going to need some time to find some form after missing much of the previous year with injury.

There were bright signs at the WM Phoenix Open and The CJ CUP Byron Nelson. On both occasions, the three-time major champion managed to finish fourth.

However, despite being invited to the majority of the signature events, Spieth is not guaranteed to be in the field for many of the biggest tournaments on the PGA Tour in 2026 after finishing 61st in the FedEx Cup standings.

Jordan Spieth brings the curtain down on an underwhelming 2025 season on the PGA Tour

Spieth was criticised for not playing at all during the fall.

Ultimately, he is likely to be in the field for most of the signature events in 2026 anyway. Spieth moves the needle like few others on the PGA Tour.

With that, an impressive performance at the Hero World Challenge was a great opportunity for Spieth to remind everyone of his quality and show that he deserves those signature event spots. Unfortunately, he spent the week at the wrong end of the leaderboard.

It proved to be a fitting end to an underwhelming year for Spieth.

And there is one statistic which helps highlight his decline having previously looked destined to be one of the greatest the game has ever seen.

Spieth has not posted four rounds in the 60s in any event since The CJ CUP in May.

Of course, that is not entirely uncommon for someone who jumps as frequently between the sublime and the ridiculous as the 32-year-old does.

But the truth is Spieth’s average rounds are nowhere near low enough.

What Jordan Spieth just does not do often enough as winless run approaches four years

Of the 19 events Spieth has completed this year, he managed to post at least three rounds in the 60s on just four occasions. His scoring average on the PGA Tour is above 70 this year.

Scottie Scheffler has posted at least three rounds in the 60s in his last seven events.

Perhaps it is unfair to judge Spieth by Scheffler’s standards. But there was a time when it was the Texan who looked destined to be Tiger Woods‘ heir.

As things stand, it is difficult to see where Spieth is going to be able to put four rounds together that are low enough to end a winless run which is rapidly approaching four years.