Emma Raducanu - "I'm not the finished product, far from it... It's frustrating that the last couple of years haven't been how I've wanted"

Emma Raducanu will continue her comeback from an injury-ridden 2023 season at the Abu Dhabi Open, a WTA 500 event set to commence from Monday (February 5).

Raducanu, who underwent minor surgeries on both her wrists last year, did not play for a large part of 2023. She returned to action in Australia last month and posted a 2-2 win-loss in the two tournaments she played Down Under.

Raducanu, however, remains motivated to rediscover her best form. Speaking to The National ahead of her Abu Dhabi campaign, the Brit said that she saw herself as a work in progress and not a finished product.

The youngster added that she was willing to put in the work needed to improve her game and not worry about the results too much.

"I’m just trying to improve my game because I’m not the finished product," Emma Raducanu said. "Far from it. I feel like now is the time to start because I’ve had some illness and injuries over the couple of years since [winning the US Open]."

"So I’m looking forward to working on my game, improving my level and the results will take care of themselves," she added.

Raducanu did concede that the results in the two years since her breakout win at the 2021 US Open haven't been up to the mark, but expressed hope of changing that in the future.

"In a way, it’s frustrating that the last couple of years haven’t been how I’ve wanted but I think we take a lesson from everything and now is the time to start that work, and I’m really enjoying it," Emma Raducanu said.

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"I know that when my level will be there, putting into a match will take some time to apply" - Emma Raducanu

Raducanu at the 2024 Australian Open.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Emma Raducanu said she was looking to improve her game in the practice session and then improve in a competitive setting.

"For me, success would be seeing my level improving in practice first and then in matches," Emma Raducanu said. "I know that when my level will be there, putting it into a match will take some time to apply."

Raducanu will open her Abu Dhabi Open campaign with a first-round match against Marie Bouzkova. If she were to win it, the youngster would run into second seed Ons Jabeur in the next round.

Emma Raducanu has received a wildcard into the main draw. Her ranking has dropped all the way down to No. 295 due to her prolonged absence from the tour last year.