Leylah Fernandez, Coco Gauff & others from tennis world wish Emma Raducanu well after surprise surgery news
With the initial surprise at Emma Raducanu undergoing surgery for a recurring injury fading, wishes for the 2021 US Open champion's speedy recovery have begun to pour in.
Raducanu posted a photograph of herself from a hospital bed post-surgery on Tuesday to announce the news. The comments section has since been filled with messages from fellow players, tennis observers and fans, wishing her well.
Another US Open champion, Sloane Stephens, led with a "speedy recovery" message in the comments, the number of which has crossed 4,100. Raducanu's fellow noughties-born players Coco Gauff and Marta Kostyuk also took to the social media platform to wish her well. They commented "Get well soon Emma!" and "Speedy recovery" on the recovering player's Instagram post.
Raducanu has shared the court with both Gauff and Kostyuk, having crossed paths with the former as recently as the Australian Open this year.
Leylah Fernandez, whom Raducanu beat in the 2021 US Open final to capture her maiden Grand Slam title, also featured in the comments section with another "get well soon" message.
The post also saw Emma Raducanu's Billie Jean King Cup teammate Harriet Dart and countrywoman Naomi Broadly wishing her well. While Dart left a "Speedy recovery" message, Broady commented with a series of heart emojis on the post.
Former player, coach and television commentator Rennae Stubbs also dropped an encouraging "hang in their kiddo" message for the 20-year-old tennis player.
Among other active players, Anna Kalinskaya and Mirijam Bjorklund also left comments, wishing Raducanu well.
Emma Raducanu's sponsors were not far behind, with the likes of Vodafone and Wilson expressing hope for a quick recovery. Official handles for Wimbledon, US Open, Billie Jean King Cup, Lawn Tennis Association and bett1open were among the others to write comments on the post.
"I tried my best to manage the pain and play through" - Emma Raducanu after surgery
Emma Raducanu has battled several injuries over the last few months. In 2023 alone, she has been forced to withdraw from multiple tournaments due to recurring issues with her hands and ankles.
In her Instagram post, the Brit threw light on her recent struggles. She informed her followers that she initially tried to play through the pain originating from "a recurring injury on the bone of both hands" since last year.
"It's safe to say that the last 10 months have been difficult," Emma Raducanu wrote in a note. "I tried my best to manage the pain and play through it for most of this year and end of last year by reducing practice load dramatically, missing weeks of training as well as cutting last season short to try [to] heal it. Unfortunately, it’s not enough."