Emma Raducanu checks in, discusses rehab and tennis future with Laura Robson

In the midst of a long recovery from multiple surgeries, Emma Raducanu caught up with Laura Robson in an interview for Amazon Prime Video posted on Twitter/X on Friday.

“The process is so slow and repetitive,” the 2021 US Open champion tells Robson, a former No. 27 who is herself no stranger to injury. Raducanu underwent surgery for her ankle and both wrists earlier this spring. “Sometimes it’s really hard to not get bored of it and just keep in mind the longterm end goal.”

Raducanu was on top of the world only 18 months ago, having peaked inside the Top 10 less than a year removed from her first Grand Slam victory in Flushing Meadows. Injuries soon took their toll and the Brit was forced to shut down her season ahead of the 2023 Roland Garros.

“It was difficult to train after the surgeries, so it was very sedentary in the beginning. Through the whole period, I’ve been doing a lot off court, reading a lot and mentally, watching some tennis. Mentally, I feel like I’m in a better place to compete now than I ever have been before since the US Open.”

The time off has given Raducanu, still just 20 years old, time to chase off-court pursuits, teaching herself to paint and play the piano.

“I just really wanted to expand what I do off the court because obviously when you’re playing you have little to no time to do anything. So, it was nice to have some time to learn new skills and do things I’d never done or tried before. At the end of the day, I’m itching to get back on court.”

The former world No. 10 has made tentative steps back on court alongside countryman Kyle Edmund, who has also been plagued by injury struggles since own major breakthrough in the semifinals of the 2018 Australian Open.

“It’s the best feeling because after just being in the gym or the rehab room, it’s really nice to go back on court and that’s when you really realize how much you missed it. It makes the off-court exercises a bit easier to do because you see the reward.”

With no specific return date in mind, Raducanu hopes to be back on court in 2024 and show a different athlete than the one who often struggled beneath the weight of expectation following her shock run at the US Open.

“I know it’s going to be difficult when you haven’t competed for a long time, almost a year. It’ll take me some tournaments to get back up to speed, but once I do, I think I’m in a better headspace to compete now.”