‘I was screaming!’ – Emma Raducanu reveals ‘painful’ recovery method
Emma Raducanu has shared that her physiotherapist “bathes” her feet in “surgical acid” in an attempt to overcome her latest injury woe.
After shocking the world when she became the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam tournament at the US Open aged just 18 years old, Emma Raducanu has been blighted by numerous injuries as she competes on her first full season on the WTA Tour.
Playing at such a competitive level at such a young age was always likely to provide some physical challenges for the British prodigy.
Even prior to her rise to international stardom, her fairy-tale Wimbledon run was curtailed after she was forced to withdraw in the fourth round. She also admitted to feeling “tired and lethargic” at last year’s Transylvania Open.
Moving into the new season, Raducanu suffered blistering at the Australian Open before a hip injury ended her Mexican Swing of the Guadalajara and Zapopan Opens.
Last week, news broke that Raducanu had lost all of her toenails before she was then hampered by further blistering, this time on her feet, as Great Britain were ejected from the Billie Jean King Cup.
Talking to BBC Sport after her Billie Jean King Cup loss to Marketa Vondrousova, Raducanu said “my physio Will is bathing my feet in surgical spirit every day – it’s definitely painful.
“We did it after the match [on Saturday]. I was literally screaming but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do and try and get ready for Stuttgart.”
In a press conference, the young Brit said “of course it’s frustrating [to be hampered by numerous injuries] for sure, but in some sort of twisted way it gives me a sense of confidence and relief that I don’t think it’s my tennis that’s the issue.
“I think my tennis level is pretty good, it’s just about being able to repeat it or maintain it or not be hampered by any kind of physical issues and as soon as I sort all these out and keep building on my tennis level, then I think I will be able to put out good matches back to back.”
Raducanu will get her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix underway against Storm Sanders tomorrow as she begins her maiden clay-court season.
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