"Grateful to be healthy, not bedridden or in a wheelchair" - Emma Raducanu on winning her first match in 9 months at ASB Classic 2024

Emma Raducanu kicked off her 2024 season with a victory at the ASB Classic in Auckland. The 21-year-old missed the majority of the 2023 season due to wrist and ankle injuries that required surgery.

On Tuesday (January 2), Raducanu secured a win against Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the first round of the ASB Classic with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Her last professional match was at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April last year.

In a post-match interview at the ASB Classic, Raducanu spoke about the challenges of returning to the court after an extended absence. She expressed her gratitude for being healthy and back on the tour.

“It’s difficult after having such a long hiatus. I’m grateful to be healthy and able to move my body... Not bedridden or in a wheelchair. It’s amazing to be out here and playing. I’m just really happy to be back on the tour. Can’t wait to start this season and carry on, hopefully, injury-free and healthy,” Emma Raducanu said.

Despite being injured for the majority of the 2023 season, Emma Raducanu achieved a major feat at the end of the year. She was featured in Sportico's list of the top ten highest-earning female athletes. Throughout the year, she earned a cumulative $16.2 million, with the majority of this revenue coming from her endorsement deals.

Emma raducanu set to face Elina Svitolina in R16 of the ASB Classic in Auckland

Emma Raducanu and Elina Svitolina set to face each other for the first time

Having returned to the WTA tour for the first time in nine months to record her first-round win over Ruse, Raducanu is set to face current WTA world No. 25 Elina Svitolina in the round of 16 of the ASB Classic.

Svitolina comes into the ASB Classic in fine form after an impressive 2023 season. Notably, she won the Internationaux de Strasbourg, reached the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships, and the quarterfinals of the French Open. Svitolina defeated Danish star Caroline Wozniacki in their first-round tie of the ASB Classic on Tuesday (January 2) in straight sets to set up an encounter with Raducanu.

Emma Raducanu and Elina Svitolina have never faced each other on the WTA Tour. Whoever wins this contest will face either Marie Bouzková or Amanda Anisimova in the semifinal.

The 2024 edition of the ASB Classic also features top tennis stars like the current US Open champion Coco Gauff, Lesia Tsurenko, Emma Navarro, Marie Bouzková, Wang Xinyu, Petra Martić, and Varvara Gracheva.