Emma Raducanu provides clarity on 'tactical' nature of injury timeout after crushing friend Amanda Anisimova in Australian Open 2R

Emma Raducanu showed great grit to battle past a suspected lower back spasm and beat Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the Australian Open 2025 on Thursday, January 16. She defeated the American 6-3, 7-5, and reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in her career.

Addressing the media after the match, the Brit discussed the break she took during the match against Anisimova and explained why players, especially those nursing niggles, need to be tactical with their medical timeouts.

“I felt it (pain in the back) pretty much quite early in the match in the first set, but I was trying not to show anything, of course. And then I asked for some Tylenol or some medication, but they don't give you that without assessing you, and the treatment is very difficult because you don't have much time at all, so it's hard to make an impact,” she said (1:30 onwards).

Emma Raducanu has had a career riddled with injuries and is all too familiar with medical timeouts. She struggled through the 2022 and 2023 seasons with frequent injuries to her back and legs, the latter of which forced her to retire in the third set of the Hana Bank Open.

In 2023, Raducanu hurt her wrist and ankle and underwent surgeries for both injuries. Her comeback in 2024 was also plagued by injuries to her lower back and a foot injury at the Korea Open.

The former US Open champion continued:

“You then get to changeovers as well, so for the rest of the match you have to try and be a bit tactical when you take them (medical timeouts) because if you go to a third set, you need to kind of use it there. It was hard to kind of think about, but I'm just glad I managed to fight back in the second set and take it.”

Emma Raducanu has adopted a new fitness regimen and is working with notable strength and conditioning coach Yutaka Nakamura. Earlier this week, she revealed the tweaks she had made to her fitness routine and Nakamura’s role in helping her achieve her peak fitness level.

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Emma Raducanu to take on Iga Swiatek in Australian Open 3R

Emma Raducanu gets medical attention during the match against Amanda Anisimova at the 2025 Australian Open. Source: Getty

Emma Raducanu said her earlier niggle wasn’t a worrying factor, especially since she hasn’t played any competitive matches this year before the Melbourne Major. The Brit had withdrawn from the ASB Classic in Auckland in early January due to a lower back issue.

“I haven't fully investigated it yet. I just did my recovery and stuff. I haven't seen the physios, but I think it's almost to be expected when you haven't played a match in so long. And then to have two really physical ones (matches). I think small niggles are going to come up here and there, and I'm just hoping that it is that,” she said.

Emma Raducanu is hoping to fully recover in time for Saturday’s contest against second seed Iga Swiatek in the third round.

“I was able to push past some pain today, but yeah, I'm going to just try and recover as best as possible over the next day,” she said.

Swiatek has been in impressive form, beating Rebecca Šramková 6-0, 6-2 in the second round on Thursday. The Pole will face Emma Raducanu in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday, January 18.