Emma Raducanu back on court for first time since wrist and ankle surgery, shows promising signs ahead of potential US Open return
Emma Raducanu recently returned to the court for the first time since her wrist and ankle surgery and might potentially feature in the 2023 US Open.
The Brit has been sidelined due to injury concerns since the first part of the year. The 20-year-old underwent a series of surgeries on both her wrists and ankle, which thwarted her participation in the French Open and Wimbledon.
Her non-participation in the Grand Slams also resulted in her departure from the Top 100 bracket of the WTA ranking - last recorded at the No. 131 spot.
Emma Raducanu has triumphed in five out of 10 matches this year. She delivered her year's best result as she reached the quarterfinal of the Indian Wells.
The former British No. 1 also split with her coach, Sebastian Sachs, earlier this year.
The 2021 US Open winner recently posted a promising and positive update on her recovery from injuries. In an Instagram post, Emma Raducanu shared a couple of videos of herself being back on the court.
She can be seen practicing on a hardcourt with an alternate and lighter version of a Wilson tennis ball, mainly used by children during coaching.
"August 2nd, THE FUN PART. 1st time back on court," captioned Raducanu.
Raducanu's return could potentially result in her participation in the season's final Grand Slam, the 2023 US Open.
"If people are bullying you, stop looking at it" - Billie Jean King advises Emma Raducanu not to take criticism personally
Tennis legend Billie Jean King has urged Emma Raducanu to not listen to criticism as the Brit awaits her comeback later this year.
Raducanu was last seen in action at the Stuttgart Open where she suffered a straight-set loss at the hands of Jelena Ostapenko in the opener. She has been on the end of criticism after failing to replicate her exploits at the 2021 US Open, where she won the title.
Billie Jean King spoke to Sky Sports and highlighted that the criticism would be tough for the Brit and she should not take it personally.
"I just know it's gotten tough for her, I just hope that she'll be alright because it's tough. If you want to be a professional athlete, it's tough. And you've got to learn not to listen to criticism, you got to learn all these things and that's why I say don't take anything personally because once you learn that, you're okay," King said.
Raducanu will hope to get back to full fitness ahead of the 2023 US Open, which begins on August 28.