What a WAR! 🤩 Wang Yafan bests Emma Raducanu 6-4 4-6 6-4 in a three-set thriller to make the third round of major for the first time! 🙌 #AusOpen
"My opponent played a lot of ITF and got a lot of matches under her belt": Emma Raducanu doesn't rule out lower level tournaments for ranking boost
WTASaturday, 20 January 2024 at 18:00
Emma Raducanu could go down the route of her last opponent, Wang Yafan and play ITF tournaments, she admits if her schedule allows in a bid to get match practice in and boost her ranking on her tennis return.
Raducanu was defeated by the Chinese ace who went on to be defeated by Qinwen Zheng in the third round earlier on Saturday and the former US Open champion believes that the level is not much dissimilar and that she could yet go down that route. This is also due to wildcards being at a premium and also the likelihood as a result of bigger names facing her early instead of getting winnable games in to boost confidence. Next up she will hope to play Indian Wells and Miami also after a stint in the Middle East but admits that this too depends on wildcards and rankings.
“I really believe that the difference in level between the quote ‘lower-level tournaments’ and these tournaments is not that big,” Raducanu said.
“Because you gain so many skills, you’re playing in these conditions. The wind here was a prime example My opponent [Wang] played a lot of ITF and got a lot of matches under her belt, but the level really isn’t that different. So yeah, I would play whatever suits my schedule, whatever suits the plan.
"I would love to compete beforehand,” she said on prior Indian Wells plans. “I think now going back, training a little bit, tidy some things up. Then it depends on the ranking and wild card situation.”
“Because you gain so many skills, you’re playing in these conditions. The wind here was a prime example My opponent [Wang] played a lot of ITF and got a lot of matches under her belt, but the level really isn’t that different. So yeah, I would play whatever suits my schedule, whatever suits the plan.
"I would love to compete beforehand,” she said on prior Indian Wells plans. “I think now going back, training a little bit, tidy some things up. Then it depends on the ranking and wild card situation.”
After working with Jez Green initially before she got injured, Raducanu also hopes to get a fitness trainer on board onto her team also after dealing with sickness during her defeat.
“I worked with a really good trainer back in London,” Raducanu said. “But he’s with the Lawn Tennis Association, so I don’t know if he travels too much.
"I think that certain weeks sporadically travelling with a fitness coach is a great idea. For example, when the tournaments are two-week events.
"If you get knocked out early, it’s a prime opportunity to do a 10-day little block. So I think it’s something to be looked at.
"But in the immediate future, I think it’s just getting more time in practice for tidying up any bugs.”
"I think that certain weeks sporadically travelling with a fitness coach is a great idea. For example, when the tournaments are two-week events.
"If you get knocked out early, it’s a prime opportunity to do a 10-day little block. So I think it’s something to be looked at.
"But in the immediate future, I think it’s just getting more time in practice for tidying up any bugs.”
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