Finally,
Emma Raducanu's return to the Tour was realized at the WTA 250 ASB Classic
after 9 months during which she underwent surgeries on both wrists and one of
her ankles, forcing her to take a long recovery break. In her first match, she
demonstrated a competitive level and defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 4-6,
7-5.
Fans were
surprised by the great performance of the 2021 US Open champion, who, despite
the time away from competition, lived up to expectations in the tournament's
first round. In the second round, she will face a tough challenge against the
second seed and world No. 25 Elina Svitolina, who comes from defeating the
former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
In her last
months, Raducanu's performance on the Tour was far from her best, securing
inconsistent results with a record of 5-5. Since claiming the epic title at
Flushing Meadows, the British player has not advanced beyond the second round
in any of her five subsequent Grand Slam appearances. She only reached the fourth
round in a WTA 1000 event once, falling short of expectations for the former
world No. 10."
“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,” Raducanu said after the match. "Thanks for all
the support throughout the journey," she added.
The
triumphant return of Raducanu excites fans, raising hopes that this time she
can showcase the talent she has already demonstrated and emerge as one of the
key figures on the women's tour. Some even consider her a contender for the
Grand Slam tournaments of 2024:
“I saw some
of the highest level of ball striking in the first set. Reckon she could win a
couple of slams this year. Iga's #1 spot in danger.”
Here are
some other comments from fans who highlighted Raducanu's notable triumph in
Auckland:
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.
Emma Raducanu hits a sneaky good slice backhand in her comeback match against Ruse.
Looks like she’s learned some new tricks since that incredible US Open run.
Great to see her back on court. ❤️
I'm BEYOND proud of our Emma!! She still has things to work on for sure but winning her first match back after 8 months off and three surgeries is amazing and her fitness looked better than before she left imo. Very encouraging. KEEP IT UP EMS!! 😍👏🇬🇧💕
Great win for Emma against a good friend. For the most part she served pretty well until she got understandably tight at the end, never easy to close out especially having been out injured for 8months, she moved great, looks lighter, fitter. Happy for Emma, Svitolina next👏👏✌️
I have the unpopular opinion that this was a really favorable draw for Emma, Ruse is her best friend, Emma brought Ruse to some exhibition matches that were profitable for Ruse, she wouldn’t defeat Emma on her comeback, sorry but we will see her real level vs Svitolina
Solid win given the 9 month lay off but Svitolina next will be the real test to see where she’s at.
Encouraging though to see her keep her fitness levels up when the match hit 2hrs+, regularly struggled with that in the past.
#ASBClassic
wta
@WTA
Back from an eight-month injury layoff with a BANG 💥
@EmmaRaducanu defeats Ruse and will next face No.2 seed Svitolina in Auckland!
#ASBClassic
Great to see Emma Raducanu back to winning ways - after a little wobble she showed resilience to clinch it on her fourth match point.
The smile at the end says it all.
wta
@WTA
Back from an eight-month injury layoff with a BANG 💥
@EmmaRaducanu defeats Ruse and will next face No.2 seed Svitolina in Auckland!
#ASBClassic
Great start to 2024 for Emma Raducanu, getting both a win and plenty of court time.
She'll be a significant underdog against Svitolina next, but it'll be interesting to see how she tests the Ukrainian. #ASBClassic
wta
@WTA
Back from an eight-month injury layoff with a BANG 💥
@EmmaRaducanu defeats Ruse and will next face No.2 seed Svitolina in Auckland!
#ASBClassic