Emma Raducanu shared her journey of healing during her extended absence from tennis last year. Facing surgeries on both wrists and an ankle, she had to step away from the sport entirely, which meant missing significant tournaments like the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Now, as she returns to competition in 2024, she is taking a thoughtful approach to managing her schedule this season to ensure a sustainable comeback.
The 21-year-old faced hardships throughout the season, including missing key tournaments like the French Open and the lead-up to the US Open, where she experienced an early exit in the first round, reflecting on that decision as a missed opportunity.
Recently, while competing in Asia, she encountered another hurdle. During the Korea Open quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina on September 21, she strained ligaments in her foot. Since then, she has been focusing on her recovery and has not played a professional match. With time and proper care, she has the chance to come back stronger.
Raducanu's take on her Injuries
Raducanu has faced multiple injuries, but her journey has ultimately been one of resilience and growth. In a revealing interview with HSBC, she shared her experiences with injury and recovery, highlighting the importance of taking the necessary time to heal.
She explained that although her initial timeline for returning to play was four months, her actual recovery took eight months and involved three surgeries. This process taught her valuable lessons about patience and the importance of not rushing back too early, allowing her to focus on her rehabilitation and come back stronger.
“In terms of coming back it takes a while to get up to the speed of the game. The match is different from practice as well and introduces unpredictability, so I think now I’m just more grateful for my health than results." She said.
“When you’re on the sidelines watching everything go past you and yeah it was difficult, I just had to shut it off and I actually couldn’t watch anything.” - she added.
It will be interesting to see when Raducanu returns to competition, as she recently had to withdraw from the Hong Kong Open shortly after expressing her readiness to participate. This marks her fourth withdrawal from tournaments in Asia.