Emma Raducanu eager for fresh start in 2023

James Richardson 16 Dec 2022 11:33 AM

Emma Raducanu is eager to get going on a 2023 season that she hopes will represent a fresh start.

Raducanu endured some growing pains as she tried to live up to her ranking which was bolstered by her shock 2021 US Open victory.

Life on tour proved to be arduous for the young Brit who also struggled to deal with the glare of the spotlight.

Raducanu hopes to present herself as a fitter version of the player who struggled in 2022 and learn the hard lessons doled out by the WTA circuit.

She is currently in Abud Dhabi where she will take on Ons Jabeur at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

The British No 1 addressed reporters in a press call for the event on Thursday.

“For next season I’m aiming to start again and try to learn from the lessons of last year,” Raducanu said.

“I don’t think it will necessarily be smooth-sailing but I’ll be more prepared and have a better idea of what to expect at each event.”

One of Raducanu’s persistent problems on 2022 has been the development of painful blisters on her hands from using her rackets but she has recognised that the only solution to her issues is to spend more time on court.

“Just how taxing the season is physically. I think I’ve put in good preparation, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that holds me for the next year.

“For me now it’s all about increasing my hours on the court because that is something I am quite light on. Physically, though I am in a better place.”

After a spell out of the game with a wrist injury, Raducanu is delighted to face a high-quality opponent in a December exhibition as the Australian Open season looms.

“Getting a sense of competition and being able to have a match before the new season starts is really important and I’ll be able to improve from there and see where I am competitively,” she said.

“It’s been a while since the last tournament, so just putting more time on the tennis court. I’m looking forward to playing this event.”

The match between Raducanu and Jabeur headlines day one of the Mubadala World Tennis championship.

The day’s play also includes matches between stars of the men’s game.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cameron Norrie open up the event while their match will be followed by the contest between Andrey Rublev and Borna Coric.