Emma Raducanu Prepares for Tennis Return After Injury Absence
The sight of Emma Raducanu hard at work in the gym following her latest injury issue will be a welcome boost for English tennis fans. The former US Open champion, 23, has been sidelined since June 14 after suffering a grade-four stress fracture in her right leg. It is a clear sign that the British sporting superstar is closing in on a return to the court.
Raducanu endured a difficult summer, having to skip Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament when she aggravated a pre-existing right shin problem during her run to the Queen's Club final. She initially relied on crutches and a moon boot for weeks, even practicing modified seated tennis strokes and serves while resting her leg. Then came a Swiss reset when she visited St. Moritz and focused on her recovery and mental health. In the meantime, Raducanu found love with 32-year-old PR exec John Friend. SunSport looks at the former British No1's long road to recovery.
To the Moon and Back with Crutches and Support
Days after she was forced to pull out of Wimbledon, Raducanu was seen on crutches on the Fulham Road in London. But, rather than looking glum and feeling sorry for herself, she was all smiles as she was snapped going into a posh restaurant with a handsome man alongside her. That man was Friend, her new boyfriend, who seemingly kept Raducanu's spirits high when her confidence must have been dampened by another injury setback.
Later that summer, they were pictured again. This time, it was a dinner date at South Kensington tapas eaterie Cambo De Tercio. Debuting a compression boot, Raducanu was guided from a Mini Cooper by her attentive man, who opened the door for her and grabbed her crutch as she clambered out of the car. They were joined by her longtime mentor Jane O'Donoghue for the swanky meal and were dressed casually. Raducanu was having fun, before the real work began.
By the end of July, she was updating her fans with some light work she was putting in. That included a viral video of her practicing a full service motion, ball toss, and racket follow-through, while sitting on a stool near the baseline.
The St. Moritz Reset and Alpine Rehabilitation
At the beginning of August, she went to St. Moritz, Switzerland to start her rehab. Checking into the five-star Suvretta House resort, where rooms can cost up to £2,500-per-night, it was a trip that provided Raducanu with the mental reset she needed. Again, she appeared positive as she shared photos of her trip to her Instagram followers.
She returned to clay, wearing her moon boot, as she performed light standing drills, including more serving practice. But, it wasn't all hard graft. Far from it. Alongside her light rehab work, she enjoyed spa facilities, sailing on a nearby lake, fine dining, and taking in panoramic Alpine views. Captioning a social media post that captured her experience, she wrote that it was the best reset ever.
The Moon Boot Comes Off at the National Tennis Centre
Showing she means business, Raducanu posted videos on social media of her working out without her compression boot this week. In the clips, she is seen jumping up and down at the gym at the LTA's National Tennis Centre in London. The footage is accompanied by the song JUMP by electronic music duo me n ü and the lyrics to that dance tune are poignant to her current state of mind.
They go: You gotta just go for it. Don't think about what comes after or what came before. You just gotta bend your knees, take a deep breath, and jump. In other photos, Raducanu can be seen on an exercise bike and hitting serves on a practice court. The latest developments offer a positive sign that she is ready to return to action. That could be as soon as January 2027, when the tennis season resumes.
