Emma Raducanu has been warned she faces a “very tough summer” ahead of her return to Wimbledon following her rise to superstardom.

The reigning US Open champion is due to return to Wimbledon for the first time since her breakthrough appearance in last year’s fourth round, which preceded her astonishing run to the title two months later at Flushing Meadows in only her second Grand Slam main draw appearance.

The 19-year-old, who this weekend won one and lost one of her two rubbers in her Billie Jean King Cup debut as Britain lost to the Czech Republic, is yet to decide on her summer schedule with the focus currently on a first clay-court campaign of her professional career. But Raducanu was given a warning of the pressures that await her by the Lawn Tennis Association’s chief executive Scott Lloyd, who is already predicting Wimbledon will be Radu-crazy when she returns.

“It is going to be in some ways a very tough year, a tough summer for her, in terms of her profile,” said Lloyd. “It is only a year ago she was sitting her A-Levels.

“We think about this tie this weekend. I said the other day I don’t think Emma has played a professional singles match on clay before – ever. So it’s very early days. Emma needs to try to find what works for her in terms of how she navigates the Tour and the travelling, domestic tournaments or internationally.”

He continued: “[She needs to] get into a pattern of where she wants to play in the lead-up to a Grand Slam. She doesn’t know that yet. Players have their different preferences. She has a long way to go in terms of starting to find herself and learn what works for her to deliver optimal performances. We saw what she did at the US Open but that is probably not something she wants to have go through every single time.”

Raducanu is yet to finalise her summer grass-court schedule leading up to Wimbledon. However, it is hoped that she will play at least one of the LTA-run tournaments. The Nottingham Open is a potential good fit for her calendar depending on how she fares at the French Open as the Eastbourne International finishes just two days before the Championships at the All England Club commence on June 27. If she were to have a long run at Roland Garros, the Rothesay Classic at Birmingham could be a better option given the breathing space between the finale on June 11 and Wimbledon two weeks’ later.

Lloyd also confirmed plans are in place for a US Open trophy tour that will celebrate Raducanu’s triumph last year and culminate at Wimbledon. The trophy has been displayed proudly in the reception to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton since being brought back to Britain, and the LTA plan on capitalising on its presence by using it as inspiration for the next generation.

“We have been talking to Wimbledon as well about how to get some profile during the Championships and at the other tournaments. Obviously that is more in our control,” he said. 

What we learnt from Emma Raducanu’s Billie Jean King Cup clay debut

Raducanu had positives and negatives to take from her first experience of clay-court tennis as a professional at the weekend, ending Great Britain’s agonising defeat by the Czech Republic in the Billie Jean King Cup with a win and loss to her name. Here are the lessons the golden girl of British tennis can take forward heading towards the French Open.

Growing pains won’t be here forever

When examining Raducanu’s first full professional season on tour, it is always worth remembering that this time last year she was preparing to sit her A-levels. What transpired since, magnified by her fairy-tale US Open victory in New York last September, is one of those very rare stories of rapid success. Putting the increased profile and the toll that takes on a 19-year-old to adapt aside, there is a simple fact that she is still a teenager, and her body is not fully developed for the rigours of professional sport.

She may stand at 5ft9ins tall, but Raducanu still has something of the willowy build of a junior tennis player, despite her increasingly athletic physique. This is far from a criticism, given it is human nature, but her physicality will come under the microscope given the expectation to succeed simply by virtue of being a Grand Slam champion.