Emma Raducanu is fit and ready for the Australian Open after a “team effort” helped her recover from an ankle injury.
The British No.1’s participation in the first Grand Slam of 2023 has been thrown into doubt after she rolled her ankle in a second-round draw at the ASB Classic in August and walked off the pitch in tears.
However, the 2021 US Open will be in good shape for their first round match at Melbourne Park against Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch after building up her fitness on the practice court over the week.
“In the game, obviously at that point you’re a little worried about it. When you overtake you don’t really know what’s going on,” Raducanu said ahead of Monday’s game.
“But we worked very hard. It was a team effort to get me to this place. We’ve definitely sped up the process, but I feel really good and can’t wait to get out on the pitch. It’s just a huge, huge support to my team, really here and at home, that helped me get here.”
Raducanu has physio Will Herbert, who was on her team when she won the US Open, with her again and the pair have spent hours off the court preparing for the 20-year-old, although the schedule is n Wasn’t kind to the first game on opening day.
Raducanu ‘feels good’ despite fear of injuries
The Briton struggled with injuries in 2022 but insisted she was not worried about the disrupted preparation.
“I started training mid-week and we built it up pretty gradually. But I think I’ve never really played tennis in my career, so I’m pretty used to it. And I’m not stressed about the lack of tennis that much.”
Raducanu spent a long off-season working on his conditioning with former Andy Murray coach Jez Green and the injury scare was an unfortunate blow.
However, the world No. 75 said this will not affect the positive feelings she has brought over the year as she seeks to establish a solid base and move up the rankings.
“I think I felt really good mentally,” she said. “In my tennis, I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s going well’. I think I was a little shocked at first, but that hasn’t changed how I feel about the season.
“And I feel really, really good actually. I just can’t wait to be on the pitch this year. I think I’m setting things up really well with the way my team is looking right now. And I’m just buzzing to get started and move on.
“I would say I’m definitely in better shape. I am in better physical condition. I did a lot of work and I’m very happy with how it went physically.
Raducanu won his only previous match against Korpatsch on clay in Stuttgart last year, in straight sets.
“She’s a clumsy player, a bit tricky,” said Raducanu, who reached the second round on her debut here last year. “So it will be a good challenge to get used to his style and his game. It will be a good test for me to see where I am.”
Source : WORLD NEWS
