Britain's Emma Raducanu sailed into the second round of the Australian Open, overcoming Shelby Rogers with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory. The win is a significant turnaround for Raducanu, who has battled injury problems for months.
Raducanu, 21, had been absent from major tournaments since last year's competition in Melbourne, due to a break of almost eight months following surgeries on her wrist and ankle.
“Last year, I travelled here on a wheelchair,” she said, via Simon Briggs of The Telegraph, referring to the sprained ankle that she suffered during her 2023 warm-up event in Auckland. “I only started hitting three days before the match. That whole process was a lot of stress.
“This year, there’s just a lot more calm. I think I’m more level-headed, I think things around me have settled. I do feel better, and there’s less highs and lows around. It’s more of an equilibrium.”
Despite a challenging 2023 season, marred by multiple surgeries, Raducanu entered the Australian Open with a renewed sense of purpose. Her recent match experience in Auckland, where she faced Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Elina Svitolina, seemed to have steadied her nerves. In contrast, Rogers had been sidelined since Wimbledon due to a torn abdominal muscle.
Raducanu admits she was nervous in first round
The Tuesday match didn't offer much drama for the spectators in the 1573 Arena. Raducanu's match-management skills were on full display, and her strategy of targeting big, steady rallies paid off, as Rogers struggled with unforced errors.
“First round I am always pretty nervous,” she said, “just like anyone in the draw. I don’t think the tennis was the prettiest to be honest. In those conditions, it was very hard to play perfect tennis. It was just about managing the situation and dealing with the conditions, and I think I did that in the crucial moments pretty well.”
Off the court, Raducanu's spirits were high, especially in her interactions with fans. Notably, she gifted her Australian Open towel to a dedicated fan named Mark, who had supported her throughout her U.S. Open victory.
“I gave the towel to Mark,” Raducanu said “He was actually there every round at U.S. Open, the one I won. I didn’t know he was here, I just saw him in the crowd. He’s very vocal. It was actually great to have him there to get me through. He’s very passionate and enthusiastic [and] it was his birthday.”
Discussing her physical condition, Raducanu expressed relief at being pain-free, particularly with her wrists, which had undergone surgeries.
“It’s amazing to be pain-free with the wrists,” she said. “I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever get to this stage. I had pain for so long … It was difficult because I wasn’t able to train, I wasn’t able to practice. Then having to compete against the best in the world is very difficult. You can’t even say ‘I know I’m doing the work, it will pay off,’ because I wasn’t doing any.”
“I think the time away made me very hungry,” Raducanu added.
Looking ahead, Raducanu will face China’s Yafan Wang, ranked No 94 in the world. This second-round match-up follows the elimination of 22nd seed Sorana Cirstea.
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