Emma Raducanu outlines what would be 'success' in 2024 ahead of Abu Dhabi Open - 'I'm far from finished product'
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Published 05/02/2024 at 12:04 GMT
Emma Raducanu has outlined what would be a "success" for her this season ahead of playing in Abu Dhabi, and why she is far from "the finished product". The 21-year-old made her return in January after wrist and ankle surgeries last year. She reached the second round in Auckland and at the Australian Open and will be looking for positive results this month.
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What would be considered a successful 2024 season for Emma Raducanu?
It’s been nearly two-and-a-half years since the Brit pulled off one of the biggest shocks in tennis history by winning the US Open as a qualifier.
But instead of shooting to further success, Raducanu has looked some way away from repeating her dazzling run in New York.
As she prepares for take-off in Abu Dhabi this week at No. 296 in the world rankings – having been as high as No. 10 in 2022 – she does so with major titles far from her thoughts.
“For me, success would be seeing my level improving in practice first and then in matches,” she told the National ahead of playing her opening match against world No. 36 Marie Bouzkova.
“I know that when my level will be there, putting it into a match will take some time to apply. But I know that seeing the level increase, that results will follow.
“Also, I would love to win a title of any grade.”
Playing more tournaments on a consistent basis looks key to achieving the Briton's aim of more titles.
Raducanu has had just one full season on the WTA Tour in 2022 and returned in January after eight months out following wrist and ankle surgeries.
“I’m still finding my feet on the match court, I’m not fully there but that will come with time,” she said.
“I’m very patient and very grateful to enjoy what I’m doing. I’m just trying to improve my game because I’m not the finished product, far from it.
“I feel like now is the time to start because I’ve had some illness and injuries over the couple of years since [winning the US Open], so I’m looking forward to working on my game, improving my level and the results will take care of themselves.”
Raducanu played just 10 matches in 2023, the same as she won on her way to the US Open title.
This year she has four under her belt after reaching the second round in Auckland and at the Australian Open.
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Raducanu suffers painful defeat to Wang in second round - Australian Open highlights
In both tournaments she showed encouraging signs and she is hoping she can now stay injury-free and build momentum.
“I’ve never really had the chance to do proper training weeks back-to-back. For six or seven months, before I ended up having the surgeries, I was only practising one or two hours a day just to limit the load on the wrists,” she said.
“In a way, it’s frustrating that the last couple of years haven’t been how I’ve wanted but I think we take a lesson from everything and now is the time to start that work, and I’m really enjoying it.”
Raducanu’s schedule after the Abu Dhabi Open remains uncertain.
She got a wild card for the tournament as her ranking is not high enough to gain entry, and she would also need wild cards to play in the upcoming WTA 1000 events in Qatar and Dubai.
If she doesn’t get those then she could drop down to ITF level before playing Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.
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