Emma Raducanu: I know that good results will come as long as I can stay healthy
Emma Raducanu has made a positive start to her Indian Wells campaign, after beating qualifier Rebeka Masarova 6-2 6-3.
Raducanu, who spent eight months on the sidelines in 2023, picked up her best result in the desert last year after reaching the last-16.
And after the match she spoke about how much she enjoys playing in the States, “Super important I think for me to get through that. I really think it’s one of the trickiest tournaments conditions-wise to play because it varies so much. I think I dealt with that really well and overcame a really tough opponent who is dangerous in these conditions.
“I really enjoy playing in America, some of my best results have been here, so I am very happy to be back here playing. I really appreciate all the love I was receiving.”
Raducanu missed a large proportion of the 2023 season, after undergoing surgeries to both wrists and a minor procedure to her left ankle.
The 21-year-old spoke to Tennis Channel about the challenges that presented in her time away, “I had three surgeries within 10 days, which is pretty intense. For two or three weeks you can’t do anything because you’re not allowed to sweat. You can’t move, like I had a scooter, I couldn’t even use crutches because of my wrist surgeries.”
Raducanu continued, “It was really difficult. I was kind of swapping, you know two weeks the right [wrist] was in a cast. Then I take that off the right is in a splint. Take that off. The left goes in a cast. Then the left goes in a splint.
“And then it wasn’t necessarily smooth coming back. I had a few setbacks, so I started training pretty much in December again and that’s not much time to kind of get ready. Australia was in a bit of doubt as well.”
Since returning to the WTA Tour, Raducanu has won 50% of her eight matches, and the 2021 US Open champion has suggested that it is just a matter of time before she is winning more than losing.
“So to make it there and to be feeling healthy on the court now is the biggest win,” explained the current world No. 250. “I know that good results will come as long as I can stay healthy and just keep doing the work that I am right now consistently day in and day out.”
Round 2 ????????✌️ pic.twitter.com/ggkfe0rxfI
— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) March 7, 2024
Raducanu will look to continue her run in Indian Wells tomorrow, when she plays 30th seed Dayana Yastremska.
Inside the baseline…
It was a solid start for Emma Raducanu, who battled through against Rebeka Masarova, despite some issues with double faults. Raducanu has made a very strong start to 2024 considering the length of time the Brit spent out of action and the type of surgeries she underwent. The Brit should take confidence in the fact that she has beaten her next opponent in Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska in their only previous meeting, which also came on hard courts.
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