Emma Raducanu hints she could skip Australian Open as Brit returns from surgery
Emma Raducanu is edging closer to a return from the three surgeries she underwent earlier this year.
Emma Raducanu has hinted that she might skip the Australian Open in January as she continues her recovery from surgery. The British sensation underwent three separate operations in May and is embarking on a slow road back to full fitness.
Raducanu had surgery on both wrists and her ankle in a bid to prevent recurring injuries. The 20-year-old’s form dipped following her remarkable 2021 US Open triumph, in part due to niggling fitness problems.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating Raducanu’s return to the court. Many have predicted that she may be back for the Australian Open, which will be contested in the second half of January.
However, the youngster has appeared to suggest that she may not be at the first Grand Slam of 2024. Raducanu insists that it might take her several tournaments to get back up to speed, hinting that even if she does return prior to the Australian Open, she could still skip it to ensure she does not suffer a repeat of the disappointing second-round defeat she suffered to Coco Gauff this year.
READ MORE: Emma Raducanu makes very optimistic comeback claim after injury hiatus [LATEST]
“The process is so slow and repetitive. Sometimes it’s really hard to not get bored of it and just keep in mind the long-term end goal,” Raducanu told Amazon Prime.
“It was difficult to train after the surgeries, so it was very sedentary in the beginning. Through the whole period, I’ve been doing a lot off court, reading a lot and mentally, watching some tennis.
“Mentally, I feel like I’m in a better place to compete now than I ever have been before since the US Open.
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“It’s the best feeling because after just being in the gym or the rehab room, it’s really nice to go back on court and that’s when you really realise how much you missed it. It makes the off-court exercises a bit easier to do because you see the reward.
“I know it’s going to be difficult when you haven’t competed for a long time, almost a year. It’ll take me some tournaments to get back up to speed, but once I do, I think I’m in a better headspace to compete now.”
Raducanu has not featured since being dumped out of the Stuttgart Open in April. She will hope to return to the form that saw her lift the US Open two years ago when she makes a comeback on the court in 2024.
