The 2021 US Open champion on her 2024 goals and state of her game.
By Richard Pagliaro| @Tennis_Now | Friday, January 12, 2024
Smooth movement has long been one of Emma Raducanu’s assets on court.
Spending some post-surgery time on wheels last summer has given Raducanu greater gratitude for her health ahead of her Australian Open return.
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The 2021 US Open champion faces American Shelby Rogers in her Australian Open opener and is aiming for a fast start.
“A good opponent. An experienced opponent,” Raducanu said of facing Rogers in a rematch of their 2021 US Open clash. “Obviously [Rogers] beat Ash [Barty] in the round before me at US Open. Yeah, she’s been on the tour for a long time. She has weapons. I think it’s going to probably be a different match.
“I think last time it was playing on Ashe in front of the American crowd. I remember, I was a break down, 2-Love down, had break points down, and I came back. I’m expecting a different Shelby, I guess. Like, she’s going to put up a fight and use her experience.”
Raducanu was limited to a 5-5 record last year after undergoing surgery to both wrists and her ankle last May that left her riding a scooter around her house unable to text for a period as her wrists recovered.
Ahead of her AO return, Raducanu said her main goal is to remain healthy and play a full season. If that happens, the now 299th-ranked Raducanu believes her game is “just too good not to come through.”
“I think success to me in the long-term is, for the rest of the year, to play a full season, to be healthy throughout, to be able to train consistent weeks,” Raducanu said. “I know my level is there, I just need to keep working on it to make it more consistent. I think that will come with time in the gym, time on court, being able to play the calendar, not thinking about, Will I have to pull out from this one, does that hurt.
“Just being able to go consistently throughout the year. Yeah, I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”
The 21-year-old Raducanu reunited with coach with childhood coach Nick Cavaday, who previously coached her from about ages 10 to 12, and will coach her for the Australian Open and perhaps beyond. Raducanu, who has gone through several coaches in her short pro career, said “of course” when asked if she envisions working with coach Cavaday after Australia.
“I mean, we’re just taking it how it goes. It’s been working really well so far,” said Raducanu, who played two matches in Auckland to prepare for Melbourne. “I of course hope to continue with him because I feel very comfortable with him. I know his sister really well, because like everyone is from Bromley.”
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
