"Both of them were playing top 10 level": Emma Raducanu heavily backed for superb comeback season after Svitolina loss in Auckland
WTAThursday, 04 January 2024 at 23:30
Emma
Raducanu suffered a narrow defeat against world No. 25 Elina Svitolina (7-6,
6-7, 1-6) at the ASB Classic, leaving positive impressions for the 2024 season.
The British player returned to the courts after 9 months and displayed a strong
performance in her victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the first round (6-3,
4-6, 7-5).
Former
British player Naomi Broady shared her thoughts on Raducanu's performance in
her initial matches. Despite the loss to Svitolina, Broady emphasized that
Raducanu already exhibits the competitive level of a top-10 player: "Loads
of positives to take. Both of them played above their rankings."
Speaking on
SkySports, Broady mentioned that the 2021 US Open champion may have pushed
herself too hard physically towards the end of the match but can continue
improving throughout the season: "For Raducanu, it was the second match
she’s played in eight months, first tournament back, and her first match was
tough as well. I think it was maybe just a step too far physically, but both of
them were playing top 10 level today."
“Could be a really exciting year for Raducanu”
“To come
back and be playing at that sort of level should give her so much encouragement
and I really hope she takes more positives than negatives from this experience.
If she can play that well against a player of Svitolina’s quality, then this
could be a really exciting year for Raducanu.”
“It’s a
tough question. I know her personal goals are to just stay fit and healthy at
the moment. She was holding her back towards the end of the match and she had a
lot of tape on her thigh today and she didn’t have that in her first round
match,” the 33-year-old said.
“But tennis
is just such a gruelling sport physically, isn’t it? There’s not many other
sports that you would play for so many hours, consecutive days in a week, week
after week for 11 months of the year,” she added.
“[She had]
two gruelling matches, so for her it’s gonna be about staying fit and healthy
and then maybe after this Australian swing, looking to start going deeper back
in the tournaments again,” Broady concluded.
Raducanu's
next challenge is the Australian Open, where recent withdrawals allowed her to
enter the main draw without going through the qualifying stage.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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