The comeback trail 💪 Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova are set to make their comebacks in Auckland at the ASB Classic, beginning on January 1st. #ASBClassic
ASB Classic Tournament Director confirms why Emma Raducanu is returning despite harsh words and injury in 2023 edition
WTASaturday, 09 December 2023 at 14:30
To the shock of many, Emma Raducanu's comeback will come at a tournament which saw her injury woes begin in 2023 at the ASB Classic. The former US Open champion will play the 2024 edition in Auckland.
Raducanu was left seething at the slippery courts and blamed the organisers for her injury. The tournament was affected by bad weather throughout which contributed to it, but the fact of her return to a tournament that she publicly slated still remains.
But it is a return that has now been explained by tournament director, Nicolas Lamperin. Albeit this move has been perhaps on the cards for a while with Lamperin saying in an interview earlier this year about the potential for Raducanu to play in Auckland especially given that the main star names returning to the sport are playing United Cup or Brisbane.
"We kept in touch with Emma throughout the year. She decided to go for surgery in April, after Stuttgart and it was going to be a long process for her. When we touched base in early July, we didn’t have much of an update, because it was still in the early stage," said Lamperin.
"But we kept the dialogue going and said we know how it works, players who’ve been away from the Tour get a protected ranking. However, the number of tournaments they can do with their protected ranking is limited, so whenever they can get wildcards on top of their protected ranking it gives them longer to get back on the Tour."
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