Emma Raducanu pulls out of second exhibition match - four days out from Australian Open
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Updated 10/01/2024 at 09:51 GMT
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her second exhibition match in two days ahead of her scheduled return to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open. The Brit had committed to featuring in the Kooyong Classic but pulled out of her contest against Russia's Mirra Andreeva. Her charity match against Naomi Osaka was also cancelled but it is expected she will still play in the Australian Open.
'It's just the beginning' - Raducanu 'excited' for rest of the season
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her second match in as many days ahead of the Australian Open, sparking fresh injury concerns as she prepares to return to Grand Slam action.
The Brit was scheduled to take on Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva at the Kooyong Classic before pulling out in a move her management team stressed was taken as a precaution, according to The Telegraph.
It comes after Raducanu’s charity match against Naomi Osaka, which was due to be played on Tuesday evening at the Rod Laver Arena, was cancelled after being players pulled out. Both Raducanu and Osaka are making their long-awaited returns to the sport after lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Raducanu underwent surgery on both of her wrists and her left ankle last May which forced her to miss the majority of the 2023 season but she returned at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Elena-Gabriela Ruse in three sets in the first round before losing a tight affair with Elina Svitolina.
Against Svitolina, Raducanu arrived on court sporting heavy strapping on her right thigh, although that didn’t appear to hinder the 2021 US Open champion as she took the first set.
She showed she still has the game to mix it with the best but admitted she ran out of steam as she was beaten 6-1 in the deciding set.
The 21-year-old cut a confident figure in the aftermath, insisting it was "just the beginning" as she plots a route back to the summit of the sport, while her camp have indicated she is just dealing with soreness having been away from the tour for so long.
The positive news for Raducanu is that she has been able to bypass qualifying for the first Grand Slam of the year.
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'Emma played really well' - Svitolina impressed by 'high level' in win over Raducanu
She was initially slated for the qualifiers but enough people pulled out for her to gain automatic entry into the main draw.
Rafael Nadal, who also returned to competitive tennis following injury at the Brisbane International, announced he had withdrawn from the Australian Open after suffering a micro tear on a muscle” that required treatment and rest.
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