Emma Raducanu recently shared the experience of undergoing multiple surgeries during her lengthy absence from the tour last year.
The British tennis star received a wild card to play at the Indian Wells Open this week. In the opening round, she earned a fine win over Rebeka Masarova, dropping just five games to progress. Next up for Raducanu is Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska.
The 21-year-old was invited to the Tennis Channel media booth to discuss her win and complicated injury layoff, which required a total of three surgeries (two on the wrists and one on her ankle). Raducanu ended up shutting down her season after crashing out of the Stuttgart Open last April.
It was only during her most recent interview after beating Masarova that the former US Open champion revealed the actual details of treatment and rehab. She is still seeking a return to the upper echelons of the sport.
"I had three surgeries within 10 days, which is pretty intense. For two or three weeks you can't do anything because you're not allowed to sweat. You can't move, like I had a scooter, I couldn't even use crutches because of my wrist surgeries. It was really difficult."
"I was kind of swapping, you know two weeks the right [wrist] was in a cast. Then I take that off, the right is in a splint. Take that off. The left goes in a cast. Then the left goes in a splint."
It was initially reported that Raducanu could return to action last autumn, but the former World No. 10 divulged why that early comeback did not materialize: She began full-time training in early December.
It was a minor miracle that she was able to get back on her feet and compete in January, first at the ASB Classic in Auckland and then at the Australian Open, where she cashed in her special ranking status to play in the main draw.
"And then it wasn't necessarily smooth coming back. I had a few setbacks, so I started training pretty much in December again, and that's not much time to kind of get ready. Australia was in a bit of doubt as well."
"So to make it there and to be feeling healthy on the court now is the biggest win. I know that good things and good results will come as long as I can stay healthy. Just doing the work. I know that good results will come as long as I can stay healthy and just keep doing the work that I am doing right now consistently day in and day out."