Emma Raducanu is currently working to regain full fitness ahead of the upcoming Australian Open after disclosing that she had limited on-court practice during the off-season. The 23-year-old British tennis player withdrew from her first match in the mixed team United Cup event against Japan in Perth due to persistent foot issues experienced during the pre-season.
On her first appearance since October, Raducanu competed against Maria Sakkari on Monday, where she struggled with match sharpness and endurance. She lost the match with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, contributing to Britain’s defeat against Greece. This match marked her return to competitive play after a break of 83 days, which followed an illness that affected her at the end of the previous season.
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Raducanu commented on the match, acknowledging the uncertainty prior to her participation and expressing satisfaction with her performance considering her limited practice time. She mentioned the physical preparation undertaken in the gym with her coach Francisco Roig during her pre-season.
Before the United Cup, Raducanu had refrained from participating in two exhibition matches in December. She had only resumed practicing with her racket in the weeks leading up to her match against Sakkari.
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Raducanu shared insights on her recent training, indicating that she only began hitting balls two weeks prior to her matches. She emphasized the challenges of increasing her workload while adapting to the realities of competitive tennis.
Looking ahead, Raducanu will next participate in the Hobart International, scheduled for January 12, before competing in the Australian Open starting January 18 at Melbourne Park.
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