Emma Raducanu practiced at Melbourne Park on Sunday to ease concerns about her participation in the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old withdrew from the ASB Classic in Auckland last week due to what she described as a ‘back niggle’, raising fears that she would not be ready for the first Grand Slam of the season.
But Raducanu posted footage of an intense physical training session and then hit with France’s Caroline Garcia on Sunday morning. All being well she should be on the start line when the Australian Open begins on Sunday.
The newest addition to team Raducanu is fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka.
Item No1 on his agenda is to get Raducanu on court more often – she played only 13 events last year – and to do so he must try to iron out these niggling injuries which have cropped up a little too frequently.
On the men’s side, Jack Draper also expects to be ready once the action commences Down Under.
Emma Raducanu practiced at Melbourne Park on Sunday to ease concerns about her participation in the Australian Open
The newest addition to team Raducanu is fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura (right), who has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka
The 22-year-old, who sits at No15 in the world after a breakthrough season, had his pre-season seriously disrupted by hip pain.
But he has been training in Melbourne for the last week and his preparations for the Australian Open are believed to be progressing well.
