Emma Raducanu will make her competitive return to tennis at the Auckland Classic, one year on from exiting the same tournament in tears after rolling her ankle during a second-round match; watch Raducanu's return in Auckland live on Sky Sports
Emma Raducanu believes she's a better tennis player than she was before her enforced injury break which ruled her out of most of 2023.
The 21-year-old has had operations on both of her wrists and an ankle but will make her competitive return at the Auckland Classic on Tuesday, one year on from exiting the same tournament in tears after rolling her ankle during a second-round match.
The former US Open champion will face Elena-Gabriela Ruse in her first match back on court - likely at around 3.45am UK time on Tuesday morning - before then playing the winner of Caroline Wozniacki's match with second seed Elina Svitolina in the second round.
"Physically, in practice over the last few weeks, I'm hitting the ball really well," Raducanu told Sky Sports ahead of her return.
"I think I'm a better tennis player than I was before the break. The people around the LTA, for example, everyone can see that I'm training and playing really really well.
"And physically, I'm pushing weights, pushing things that I wasn't doing before. In my body, I actually have confidence in it, which is really nice and tennis-wise I feel good too.
"It's just about now putting it into a match, which is obviously completely different to practice. I know that will come in time though - as long as the level is there and improving."
