Emma Raducanu "couldn't go to the supermarket" as she lays bare injury pain

30 December 2023 , 18:05

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Emma Raducanu has struggled for form in recent years with injury playing a major part (Image: PA)

Emma Raducanu has revealed her injury woes were so bad that it prevented her from even going to the supermarket.

The Grand Slam champion, who has had to deal with huge expectation since her New York fairytale, has seen injury halt her progress on the tour. She's undergone several surgeries in an effort to get back to her best and improve on her current ranking of 298.

Previously a top-10 player, Raducanu has copped criticism for constantly changing coaches but has laid bare the extent to which her injuries affected her. The 21-year-old has learnt to simply appreciate being healthy after basic tasks were beyond her.

She told Sky Sports: "I would play and then I had the patch where I couldn't play again for two months because of one of my wrists. That was really difficult because I felt like I was just getting going and then I stepped back again. It was hard, especially in the first few months.

"When you're so used to being active and moving around all the time, then to all of a sudden to have everything just cut off from you. I had like two wrists and one foot [injured] so I couldn't even use crutches. I basically had like a a scooter kind of thing and you would push yourself around with one leg.

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"It was really difficult. I couldn't really go anywhere. I couldn't go to the supermarket; imagine being that immobile. I think it definitely reignited the fire to get back out there competing and made me appreciate just being healthy."

Raducanu has missed out on a wildcard for the Australian Open next month so will have to go through qualifying - the same route she took at Flushing Meadows when she shocked the tennis world back in 2021.

The former US Open champion has undergone numerous surgeries

Prior to that she'll take part in an event in Auckland, where the Brit knows she'll face a stellar field despite turning a bit of a blind eye to the tour whilst she dealt with her injury woes.

"The field here in Auckland is extremely strong," she added. "I'm excited to play anyone. It doesn't bother me. I think, match-wise, it might take a while to adjust to the feeling of pre-match nerves or just match fitness. But, level-wise, I feel really good."

Raducanu continued: "The [WTA] Tour was pretty interesting last year, from what I was told, because I didn't really follow it to be honest. Wimbledon was really a bit too close to home for me. I had to go there for a few days for some commitments but, other than that, I stayed far away... and the US Open as well. I did take my time away, but now I feel good. I feel refreshed."

Samuel Meade