Emma Raducanu Takes on Heavyweight Challenger in First WTA Showdown
Since suffering a crushing defeat to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart in April, the 21-year-old has not participated in a competitive match.
She then pulled out of the Madrid Open, choosing instead to have surgery on both wrists and her ankle.
Originally aiming for a late summer or early autumn return, Raducanu will now miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
There were concerns up until recently about whether she would be ready for the start of next year, but those have subsided in the last few weeks as she has intensified her training.
It has already been revealed that she will compete in the WTA competition starting on January 1 in Aukland, New Zealand.
Laura Robson, the former British No. 1 who is confident Raducanu can return to her best, has backed the young Brit as she makes her comeback to competition.
“We are aware that she is capable of succeeding. Robson said to Tennis365 at a Play Your Way To Wimbledon event, “She competes, has great all-around ability, and can strike the ball.”
“Your only options are to try to play as many matches as you can and to maintain as good of health as you can to see where you end up.
In the past year, several players have returned with remarkable speed. Despite not playing for three and a half years, Wozniacki has looked fantastic and Svtolina has been incredible to see.
Emma can take inspiration from many players who have recovered rapidly, and she shouldn’t be too discouraged if it doesn’t happen because every person has a unique road to follow.
Raducanu will be making her second appearance in Auckland after retiring in tears from her second-round match due to an ankle issue.
She may get to play the defending US Open winner Coco Gauff in the first round this year, and she will be looking for more uplifting memories to be made in Aukland.
Gauff has chosen to begin her new tennis season at the 2024 ASB Classic in Auckland, where a match against Raducanu could prove to be a major highlight.
Together with her compatriot Lesia Tsurenko, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who advanced to the semi-finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, is also included in the Auckland draw.
The return of American Amanda Anisimova to competition will also be much anticipated, as she gets ready to play again after quitting the sport in May due to stress and worries about her mental health.
With Raducanu anticipated to be in Australia in the coming weeks as she starts the last countdown to her return, more big names could still be added to the Aukland draw.
There is currently no word on whether Racucanu will receive a wild card to compete at the Australian Open in January; but, as she wants to return to the WTA Tour consistently, she may potentially choose to go through qualification.