EMMA STONE
Raducanu shows her ’battle scars’ as she reveals her scary fight to beat pain
EMMA RADUCANU feared her career could be wrecked by pain in her wrists during her long injury lay-off last year.
The former US Open champion had surgeries on her wrists and an ankle in May – and still has the scars (above) as “battle wounds”.
But a setback in August saw her stop hitting balls for four months and she only returned to competitive action earlier this month.
She pulled out of an exhibition event in Macau in December and two more friendlies in Melbourne last week.
Raducanu will play her first Grand Slam match in a year against world No.156 Shelby Rogers tomorrow after playing only twice in Auckland.
The world No.296 has been bullish about her comeback this week but warned she was “going to require more time” to find a consistent level. And the details of her stop-start recovery explain why, for a player dogged by physical problems during her brief professional career.
“The injury setback was quite scary,” Raducanu admitted. “I was worried I was always going to feel pain in my wrist. I started hitting in August and after that, the first eight, nine days, I was feeling pain and then it didn’t go away.
“And then I didn’t start hitting again with the yellow ball until pretty much like the last week of November.
“I didn’t play for a good few months after and then only started picking it up recently, at the back end of November.
“So I guess to be in the position I am now, only really having had six weeks of training with the yellow ball, I’m pretty proud of myself and the team for getting me here. And credit the surgeon, he did a great job.”
Raducanu now has inch-long scars from “minor procedures” to remove bony lumps – carpal bosses – on each wrist. “They are battle wounds,” she smiled. “I guess I won’t be a hand model – I can throw that career away. But they’re healing nicely and they look a lot better now. So it’s just part of the journey. When I’m 80, I can show everyone – ‘These are the battle scars!’”
In her pre-tournament press conference, Raducanu said she thought her level is “just too good not to come through” if she remains fit. And Eurosport commentator Tim Henman, part of her team in New York in 2021 said: “With Raducanu, it’s small steps.
“When you look at how little tennis she’s played in her whole career, she’s still massively inexperienced. Her level in Auckland was excellent, but it’s more about the physical resilience.
“She needs to build up the physicality in her body so she can play week in, week out, so she doesn’t get those injuries because that just disrupts your momentum.
“She’s a great player and is hopefully building that foundation to do herself justice.”