"Don't try this at home" - Emma Raducanu explores her artistic side amid US Open 2023 absence
Emma Raducanu had to forego participating in the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and other important tournaments this year as she took the necessary time to address persistent wrist issues that had been troubling her since last season.
The 2021 US Open champion went through what she described as minor surgery to remove bone spurs on her wrists, which had likely been causing her pain for the past eight months.
She also underwent a minor ankle procedure to resolve the recurring issues that have plagued her since her extraordinary Grand Slam title triumph at Flushing Meadows.
Emma Raducanu has since recovered and returned to the practice courts. During the New York Slam, she also developed an interest in painting and exploring her artistic side.
The Brit took to her Instagram to post a bunch of pictures of herself trying her hands at painting, captioning it with:
"Don’t try this at home."
"The tour is completely brutal" - Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu recently spoke with The Sunday Times about her injury, stating that the pain in her wrists worsened during last year's Wimbledon. The pain extended beyond her physical health, impacting her mental well-being as well.
"The pain [in the wrists] escalated last summer after Wimbledon. I started with a new coach and I was really motivated to get going. We were over-training, a lot of repetition, and I carried on even through pain because I didn’t want to be perceived as weak," Raducanu said.
"I was struggling with the physical pain but the mental side of it was really difficult for me too. I always want to put forward the best version of myself, or strive for that, but I knew I couldn’t," she added.
The Brit also said that the emotions were too much at times and that she had to put up a strong face to keep going. She also believes that the WTA tour is brutal when it comes to making mistakes.
"I was under so much pressure to perform, people had no idea what was going on and I had to have this façade, to keep everything inside. It has been really hard. And then to be scrutinised for it when they don’t know what is going on," Emma Raducanu said.
"I am very young and still learning and making mistakes. It is a lot harder when you are making mistakes in front of everyone and everyone has something to say about it. The tour is completely brutal," she said.
Her recent interview sheds light on the physical and mental challenges she is facing and how she is motivated to get back on court. Her determination to push through pain and maintain a strong image speaks to the immense pressure young athletes like her endure.