Emma Raducanu’s run in the Australian Open ended in the third round. Iga Swiatek crushed her 6-1 6-0 on Saturday. Raducanu was thankful for her increased fitness. It was nice to be able to compete at a high level again.” She has battled injuries since her 2021 U.S. Open title. Last year, the 22-year-old skipped five events during the WTA Asian swing. She also sprained ligaments in her foot.
Dealing with Injuries
Raducanu withdrew from a tune-up tournament in Auckland with a back problem. She got off to a hot start at Melbourne Park. She defeated 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Raducanu also beat former French Open semi-finalist Amanda Anisimova. Swiatek provided a slightly tougher test. The five-times Grand Slam champion gunned down her opponent. Raducanu won only one game. This was to the world number two at Rod Laver Arena. Emma Raducanu found positives despite defeat. It was her first tournament since mid-November.
Forward looking and optimistic
“Three weeks ago when I was in Auckland, at the end of last year, I was doing pool rehab,” Raducanu told reporters.
“To be on a court playing matches and competing is something I have to be grateful for. I started hitting when I came here 18 days ago. I have to take a positive that I was able to beat two top opponents in the first two rounds.
“But I think today, no excuses of the back or physically. Yeah, I didn’t play well. She played very well. I think, given the preparation we had, we have to be grateful to be in this position. “Of course, I have a lot of things to take as feedback and work on.”
Analyzing the Performance
Raducanu said she would rewatch the match. Her focus is on what she can learn from it. She is keen on further improving her game. “I learned a lot and I received feedback on what I have to do,’ she said. “I want to improve my serve, I won my first two matches, I defended well, I moved well, I used the rest of my game.” Which she will work on to become a stronger player, just like Emma Raducanu desires.
