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Former World No. 10 Emma Raducanu has shared a glimpse of her preparations for the clay court season.
Raducanu was last seen competing at the WTA 1000 in Indian Wells this month, where she reached the third round before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. She received a wildcard entry in the Miami Open main draw, but pulled out at the last minute due to lower back pain.
Eager to get back on tour and resume her tennis, the 21-year-old shared a glimpse of her training on the clay courts via her social media account on Instagram.
The post can be seen below:
The Brit has made a subpar start to the season so far, chalking up five wins from 10 matches. She showcased her immense potential by outfoxing the likes of Elena Gabriela Ruse, Shelby Rogers, and Marie Bouzkova. However, she failed to cross the second-round barrier in the first four tournaments she participated in this year
Sabalenka, the World No. 2, commended her performance during their third-round match in Indian Wells, where the Brit beat Rebeka Masarova and Dayan Yastremska (walkover) in the first two rounds. The Belarusian said that Raducanu competed at a decent level and hinted that there is more to come from the Brit.
"I know that the level is there, and she (Emma Raducanu) can play some great tennis. But on those key moments, I was focusing on myself and things what I have to do on court to be in this match, and I think it's worked well," Sabalenka said during her post-match press conference.
"She's an incredible player and she played great tennis today, even though she didn't play much matches in the past couple of months," she added.
"I want to work on becoming a better tennis player" - Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu has wished to work on her game and become a better tennis player in 2024.
Raducanu underwent surgeries on her ankle and wrists last year and was away from the women's tour for around eight months. She experienced a tough spell on the sidelines following a first-round exit in the Stuttgart Open 2023.
The Brit is currently up and running in 2024 and is optimistic about having a successful season. She is expected to feature in the Billie Jean King Cup next as the hardcourt season in the USA draws to a close.
Speaking to reporters before her first-round match in Indian Wells, Raducanu said that she wasn't too concerned about playing a lot of tournaments this year and wished to be more consistent with her results.
"I think for me I'm not too concerned about this year's tournaments. I want to work on becoming a better tennis player. Taking time to do that is very necessary and not just following the crowd, or playing a lot of matches, or dropping down to Challenger level to do that," Emma Raducanu said (via BBC).
"It's just a bit of a journey for me, I would say, you don't really know what to expect after being out for eight months," she added.
The Billie Jean King Cup will begin on April 12.
