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Emma Raducanu's latest wrist surgeries are not the end of the world, reassured Laura Robson in a recent interview. While German tennis great Boris Becker recently opined that the Brit's surgeries could be "career-threatening," Robson disagreed staunchly with the view and pointed to other tennis players who have made successful comebacks after similar operations.
Speaking to the Telegraph, the former British No. 1 brought up former US Open runner-up Madison Keys to prove her point, recalling how the American had a wrist operation and made a comeback on tour not too long afterwards.
“There's been quite a lot of talk about how the wrist is, like, the end of the world! But I was thinking to myself, ‘I know just as many people who had successful operations.’ Take [former US Open runner-up] Madison Keys: maybe two years ago she had a wrist operation with the same surgeon that I had in the States and it was totally successful. She wasn't even out for very long," Robson said.
Laura Robson emphasized that every injury was different, meaning that it was not possible to accurately diagnose them and how they could affect an athlete's career trajectory. In Emma Raducanu's case, Robson was confident as the 20-year-old's issue is with "bumps" on the bone and not concerning the wrist joint.
"Plus, every injury is different. I had almost a super-flexible joint. It was getting too much wear and tear because it was just moving too much. So by the time I even started feeling pain, it was already quite far down the line in terms of damage," Robson said. "Emma’s issue is with bumps on the bone; it’s actually more the top of the hand than the wrist joint really.”
"The rehab after an operation is never easy" - Laura Robson on why it is important for Emma Raducanu to relax during her recovery process
Laura Robson further insisted that it was good for Emma Raducanu to take a short break from the game, adding that it was important for her to relax and recover properly during her rehab process.
“It seems like Emma is having a bit of a break, which is probably quite nice after going non-stop from the US Open all the way through. The rehab after an operation is never easy. So in this first stage where you actually can't do very much, I think it's so important to relax a little bit," Robson said.
Drawing from her own experience, she added:
“That’s what I always used to try and do, because you’re in for a bit of a slog when you start physio again. You’ll be at the National Tennis Centre every day, knowing in your mind, ‘Okay, I'm here for the next three months, religiously.’ So just that week or two period before everything starts and you've got the surgery done, got the cast on, can't actually do much, I think it's so important to stay fresh."
While Raducanu is set to miss the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships, she could be back in action in time for the US Open, the same stage that earned her the tennis world's attention in 2021. In addition to surgeries on both wrists, the former US Open champion has also undergone surgery on one of her ankles.
