Australian Open: Emma Raducanu ready to play in Melbourne after ankle injury

1 year ago 51
Emma Raducanu practises astatine  the Australian Open astatine  Melbourne ParkEmma Raducanu is aiming to spell beyond the 2nd circular astatine a Grand Slam lawsuit for the archetypal clip since she won the 2021 US Open
Dates: 16-29 January Venue: Melbourne Park
Coverage: Commentary each time from 07:00 GMT connected Radio 5 Sports Extra 'Tennis Breakfast' unrecorded from Melbourne, with selected unrecorded substance commentaries and lucifer reports connected the BBC Sport website and app.

Emma Raducanu says she "fully trusts" the ankle wounded that threatened her information astatine the Australian Open.

The 20-year-old Briton rolled her near ankle successful Auckland 9 days ago, but says she is acceptable to play successful Melbourne.

Raducanu, ranked 75th successful the world, faces Germany's Tamara Korpatsch successful the archetypal circular connected Monday.

"I've been capable to bash preparation, albeit much constricted than usual. But I'm feeling successful a bully spot to spell retired determination and springiness it my champion shot," she said.

Raducanu, who stunned the satellite by winning the 2021 US Open arsenic a teenage qualifier, has been hoping to enactment down her the wounded problems that marred her archetypal afloat twelvemonth connected the WTA Tour.

But, aft a two-month fittingness artifact designed to physique up her assemblage for the rigours of the season, her preparations for Melbourne were hampered erstwhile she suffered what she described arsenic an "accident" she could not avoid.

It came successful lone her 2nd lucifer of the year, erstwhile she played Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova successful Auckland, and near her successful tears erstwhile she near court.

Raducanu's mobility during signifier astatine Melbourne Park this week initially looked hard but by Thursday - erstwhile the tourney gully was made - she was moving freely and looked successful bully capable signifier to play.

"We were thrown a spot of a curveball but we remained optimistic," she said successful her quality league connected Saturday.

"It's been a squad effort to get maine to this place. We've been gathering it up beauteous gradually.

"For the ankle, I consciousness truly good. It's going to beryllium much introducing definite things, and the complaint astatine which we've had to bash it has been truly quick.

"But I've not truly played overmuch tennis ever successful my vocation truthful I'm benignant of utilized to it. And I'm not stressed astir deficiency of tennis that much."

Spanish 11th effect Paula Badosa and Australian anticipation Ajla Tomljanovic - who has reached the quarter-finals astatine the past 2 majors - some withdrew connected Saturday due to the fact that of injury.

Badosa sustained a thigh wounded successful a warm-up tourney successful Adelaide, portion Tomljanovic picked up a genu wounded astatine the United Cup mixed squad tournament.

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