British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu made a remarkable comeback to competitive tennis at the Auckland Classic on Monday, securing a hard-fought victory against world No. 134 Elena-Gabriela Ruse. This marked Raducanu's return after an eight-month hiatus, with a scoreline of 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
Raducanu, who had a challenging 2023 due to injuries that required surgeries on both hands and her left ankle, played only nine games last year, causing her world ranking to plummet to 301. However, the former U.S. Open hampion entered the Auckland Classic with renewed strength, telling reporters she felt “reborn” ahead of the tournament.
Granted a wildcard entry, Raducanu started strong, winning the first set comfortably. However, Ruse fought back in the second set, overturning a deficit and breaking Raducanu's serve to level the match. The third set saw Raducanu taking an early lead, only for Ruse to make a comeback, pushing the match to a tiebreaker.
In the end, Raducanu's determination clinched it. In the next round, Radacanu will face second seed opponent Elina Svitolina. Reflecting on her win and the challenges of returning from a long break, Raducanu expressed her gratitude and excitement to be back.
“It's difficult after having such a long hiatus but I'm grateful to be healthy, I'm grateful to be able to move my body and not bedridden or in a wheelchair,” Raducanu said on court after her win, per ESPN. “It's pretty amazing to just be out here and playing and I'm just really happy to be back on the tour and can't wait to start this season and carry on hopefully injury-free and healthy.”
The Auckland Classic is a crucial step for Raducanu as she gears up for the Australian Open, where she must compete in qualifying rounds to secure a place in the main draw. Raducanu missed the initial batch of wildcard entries for the Australian Open, which is set to begin Jan. 14
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