The off-season has arrived, with the final events of the year wrapped. The ATP and WTA Finals are in the books. So are the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup. Team Italy walked away with both team titles, stunning fans on each side. But not everyone took part. Emma Raducanu watched from the sidelines, choosing to skip the team event, in a decision didn’t sit well with former British pro John Lloyd.

“That, to me, is beyond belief,” the one-time British No. 1 vented on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast with Mitch Michals. He compared Raducanu’s absence to Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti withdrawing from of the Davis Cup for Italy. Though he understood Italians’ decisions to not participate due to rest and injury concerns, he certainly wasn’t happy about Raducanu’s

“Emma Raducanu, Great Britain had a chance for the first time to possibly win it,” he said. “She pulls out of it, says she wants to spend more time with the new coach, get ready for next season or ranking points. I’m thinking, ‘Are you kidding me? When is it not privileged to play for your country?'”

Lloyd is someone who knows all about pressure. He did, after all, blast into the 1977 Australian Open final, becoming the first British man to do so in the Open Era. He pushed Vitas Gerulaitis to five gritty sets but fell just short.

Then, for 11 years, he powered Team GB, steering them to the 1978 Davis Cup final. He also won two ATP doubles titles en route, including one with his brother David in 1976.

Alongside Wendy Turnbull, Lloyd claimed three mixed doubles Grand Slam trophies: the 1982 French Open and back-to-back Wimbledon crowns in 1983 and 1984. The pair finished runners-up at Wimbledon in 1982, a near-miss that still stings.

With such a long, hard-fought career, it’s perhaps no surprise that Lloyd hasn’t taken kindly to modern-day players choosing to give up any chance of glory. For him, the spirit of team competitions is dimming, and he’s not afraid to call it out, alleging that such withdrawals “never would have happened” in his era.

The British No.1 had been named in Anne Keothavong’s squad alongside Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal, and Jodie Burrage, setting up what was meant to be an exciting quarterfinal against Japan on September 18. And with her absence, the team made it to the semis before they were defeated by Team USA.

Still on the subject of players skipping major team events, the British legend didn’t mince words. He felt neither Sinner nor Raducanu truly grasped how significant their choices were. “I do fault them. I’m not sure whether it’s coming from agents, parents, or just us as a sport, that have not got through to the players that representing your country should be the best honor there is in tennis, and it’s not,” he said.

Still, Emma Raducanu was firm on why she chose to sit out the Billie Jean King Cup this year.

Emma Raducanu comes clean on her decision to withdraw from the team event

Raducanu’s decision to skip the Billie Jean King Cup Finals has raised a few eyebrows, especially after captain Anne Keothavong admitted she was disappointed. Great Britain will now head into the finals in Shenzhen without their number one player. Instead, Raducanu has chosen to play at the Korea Open, a tournament that’s been throwing players off rhythm thanks to persistent rain delays.

Explaining her choice, the 2021 US Open champion opened up about her new partnership with coach Francisco Roig. He came on board just before the Cincinnati Open, making him the eighth coach to guide her since her breakout main draw debut at Wimbledon in 2021. Raducanu said she needed more time with Roig to build chemistry and confidence before next season kicked in.

“It was a truly difficult decision. I love the BJK Cup so much, and I gave it my all last year, even under difficult circumstances,” she said. “However, the Korea Open was a crucial time for me to get used to my new coach, Francis, and even though it was the end of the season, I felt it was more important to work with an experienced coach ahead of the Asian swing. I wanted to prioritize working with him and further developing myself.”

That decision brought mixed results. Emma Raducanu battled past world number 41 Jacqueline Cristian 6-3, 6-4 in a tricky opener before falling to Barbora Krejcikova in the next round. Her struggles continued into the China Open, where another early exit followed, and then things unraveled further when ill health forced her to retire mid-match in Wuhan. A first-round loss in Ningbo closed out a frustrating Asian swing.

As the year winds down, the British star seems to be taking a well-earned breather. Will she return in 2026 to possibly take away another major title? Share your thoughts in the comments below.