Emma Raducanu wins on long-awaited return after missing 259 days through injury

02 January 2024 , 08:47

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Emma Raducanu made her return from injury on Tuesday (Image: Getty Images)

Emma Raducanu has beaten Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 on her long-awaited return from injury, which saw the British sensation miss 269 days.

Raducanu has endured a wretched time since winning the US Open as a qualifier in 2021, with a succession of injuries stunting her progress. Those issues forced her to take an extended period out of the game, with her world ranking dropping to 283.

The 21-year-old made a welcome return to the court on Tuesday in the first round in the Australian tournament. She started well, taking the first set 6-3, before Ruse fought back to level the match in the second set. The third set went the distance, but she held on to win 7-5 and progress.

Raducanu underwent surgeries to fix two wrist injuries and an issue with her left ankle after ending her season early last year. She did have the chance to win the final set 6-4, but was broken by her opponent.

The Brit recovered her composure though to break back, though Ruse took her to a deuce in the final game, which Raducanu was able to close out to win. The 21-year-old was given a wildcard into the tournament, in which she injured her ankle last year, though she spoke of her excitement heading into her clash with Ruse.

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"I feel reborn in a way. I feel fresh, ready, happy, excited. Overall I’m feeling positive and lighter. I actually think I’m a better tennis player than I was before the break. In practice over the last few weeks I’m hitting the ball really well," Raducanu said.

"Physically I’m pushing things that I wasn’t doing before. In my body I actually have confidence, which is really nice and tennis-wise I feel good, too. It was so hard, especially the first few months.

Raducanu underwent a number of surgeries last year

When you’re so used to being active and moving around all the time, then to all of a sudden have everything just cut off from you. I had two wrists and one foot injured, so I couldn’t even use crutches. It was difficult being that immobile. But it reignited the fire to get back out there competing."

Raducanu has not been handed a wildcard for the Australian Open though so she will have to go through qualifying. Ahead of the win over Ruse, the Brit opened up on the full extent of her injury pain.

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.

"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."

Jacob Leeks