Emma Raducanu shares cryptic throwback picture with Rafael Nadal as duo continue injury recovery

Emma Raducanu shared a picture of her looking at Rafael Nadal and pointed to having thoughts of playing tennis once again.

Raducanu has been out of action since the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The Brit withdrew from the Madrid Open in order to undergo surgeries on her right hand and both ankles.

A quick return to the tour looks unlikely for Raducanu. She took to social media on Tuesday, May 16, to share a picture of her looking at Nadal, and suggested that she had only tennis on her mind right now.

Incidentally, even Nadal is currently sidelined, as he tries to recover in time for the French Open.

Raducanu recently gave fans an update on her status following surgery. The 20-year-old shared a few images on social media where she can be seen having food, spending time with her friends, having checkups with the doctor, and relaxing.

"Recent recovery roundup," she captioned her Instagram post.

Raducanu has had consistent injury struggles ever since her title triumph at the 2021 US Open. Persistent injuries and setbacks have now forced the Brit out of the top 100.

The path ahead looks more troubled with Raducanu confirming that she would miss the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships as she plans to return to the tour only after making a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Nadal sustained a hip injury during the 2023 Australian Open second-round encounter against Mackenzie McDonald. The Spaniard has been recovering ever since.

The southpaw has been training on clay for the past few weeks, much to the delight of his fans. However, his Roland Garros participation still hangs in the balance.

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A look at how Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu have fared so far in 2023

Rafael Nadal at the 2023 Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal played just four competitive matches in 2023. At the inaugural United Cup, he lost to Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur.

Later, at the Australian Open, the defending champion prevailed over Jack Draper in a hard-fought opening encounter before losing to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round. He also picked up a hip injury, that has kept him out of action since.

Emma Raducanu, on the other hand, has participated in five tournaments this year. She suffered first-round exits at the Miami Open and the Stuttgart Open while losing in the second rounds at the ASB Classic and the Australian Open.

At Indian Wells, she defeated the likes of Danka Kovinic, Magda Linette, and Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach the Round of 16, where she lost to top seed Iga Swiatek.