Tennis prodigy Emma Raducanu, determined to make her comeback, wasted no time upon her arrival in Paris as she immediately resumed her rigorous fitness regimen to aid in her recovery from injury. The 20-year-old athlete shared an insightful glimpse into her workout session via an Instagram story on Monday, September 25. In the video, Raducanu was seen diligently powering through a treadmill session while documenting the moment with her mobile phone. She even waved to her reflection in the gym mirror, showcasing her unwavering commitment to her rehabilitation.
Captioning the video, Raducanu succinctly declared, “Arrive to Paris, straight to the gym,” encapsulating her resolute dedication to returning to top form.
This marked a significant step in Raducanu’s journey, as she has faced an injury-riddled year that has limited her to just nine matches in 2023. Her most recent match dates back to April, a stark contrast to her meteoric rise to a career-best ranking of World No. 10 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings in July 2022.
Raducanu’s remarkable achievement at the 2021 US Open, where she secured her maiden Grand Slam singles title, catapulted her into tennis stardom. Notably, she became the first British woman to clinch such an accolade since Virginia Wade’s Wimbledon triumph in 1977. The victory at Flushing Meadows was an extraordinary feat, as she did so without dropping a single set throughout the tournament. However, her injury struggles have since taken a toll on her rankings, causing her to drop out of the top 100 in the WTA rankings.
The 2021 US Open triumph remains the zenith of Raducanu’s career, serving as her lone singles title to date. Unfortunately, her injury woes have prevented her from advancing beyond the second round of any Grand Slam tournament since that monumental victory.
Raducanu’s tumultuous year has been marked by a series of injuries, resulting in her absence from major tournaments such as the French Open, Wimbledon Championships, and the US Open. In May, she underwent wrist and ankle surgeries, sidelining her from competition. Her year began at the Auckland Open, where an ankle issue forced her to retire during a second-round match.
The Australian Open saw her exit in straight sets at the hands of Coco Gauff in the second round. Tonsillitis led to her withdrawal from the ATX Open, and she also opted out of an exhibition event at Indian Wells.
Despite her wrist problems, Raducanu demonstrated resilience by reaching the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, securing noteworthy victories along the way. Unfortunately, wrist issues persisted at the Miami Open, leading to her first-round exit. She intended to address her lingering wrist pain post-tournament but subsequently missed the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying round.
During the clay-court season, she made a return to the Stuttgart Open but was eliminated in the first round due to persistent wrist problems. Regrettably, she was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open as well.
In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Raducanu expressed her determination to make a triumphant return in the upcoming season, stating, “Next season, I’ll be back. This season, all the slams were finished, so it was difficult to watch them go by. But I was trying to stay in my lane as much as possible and keep focused on my recovery.”
Emma Raducanu’s unwavering commitment to her rehabilitation and her steadfast resolve to return to the pinnacle of tennis are sure to inspire her legion of fans as they eagerly await her triumphant return to the court.
