It’s no gain without pain for Raducanu

EMMA RADUCANU is already planning a tough month of pre-season training to get ready for the Australian Open.

The US Open champion has one event left in her schedule this year – the Upper Austria Ladies Linz starting on November 6.

British No.1 Raducanu, 18, will also appear in an exhibition event at the Royal Albert Hall next month at the start of her build-up for Down Under.

Raducanu (right), who wants a new coach in place for next season, said: “I’m going to do a full offseason, for sure.

“But after Linz, I will probably have a week off just to reset and get mentally fresh and physically fresh for the tough pre-season because it’s going to be my first one.

“And from what I’ve heard it’s a very difficult four weeks physically. So I just want to prepare for that and the next year.”

Raducanu’s first appearance in her father Ian’s homeland of Romania ended in a 6-2 6-1 quarterfinal defeat at the Transylvania Open to world No.55 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.

But the world No.23 added: “I have loved my week here. I will make it a big priority to come back here or to another tournament in Romania.”