Emma Raducanu was knocked out of the Auckland Classic by Elina Svitolina on her return to action after eight months out with injury; Raducanu won the first set of a high-quality encounter; "I'm looking forward to this season, it's just the beginning. It's week one - a lot more to come."
Friday 5 January 2024 06:24, UK
Emma Raducanu says her comeback performances after an eight-month injury layoff have given her "a lot of confidence" and that there is "a lot more to come" as she prepares for the Australian Open.
After marking her return with victory against Elena-Gabriela Ruse on Tuesday, Raducanu was denied a quarter-final place in Auckland by second seed Elina Svitoliva on Thursday.
Raducanu won the opening set producing the sort of stunning form she showed on her way to winning the US Open as a qualifier in 2021 but could not close out the match in a second-set tiebreak, before Svitolina's superior conditioning told in a one-sided decider.
Having recovered from surgeries on both of her wrists and her left ankle, the 21-year-old Brit was buoyed by having pushed the 2023 WTA Comeback Player of the Year so close.
"I think I can take away that my level was pretty high for two sets, two long sets which lasted like two hours and 15 minutes.
"I'm pretty proud of how quickly I was able to get my level up to be able to compete with Elina.
"I think that she gives you nothing. You really have to win the match and win the sets and I think I did that really well in the first set and then in the second set I had a few chances in the breaker. I did the exact same, I went for my shots, which got me the first set, but I just missed them, so that was it."
Svitolina, who ended 2023 as one of the form players on the tour having returned to action after giving birth, compared the level of the contest to her stunning quarter-final victory over world no. 1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon last year.
"I'm pretty pleased that she compared it to that," Raducanu said. "I know it's the start of a very long season for me and I'm looking forward to reflecting on the year and having this as a starting point.
"Of course it does (give me confidence).
"With the limited time I've had in comparison to her, and in the gym, she's been around a long time and achieved so much and I think she's known on tour as one of the physically best players out there and end of second set and third set I don't think I really saw a second serve, so she really raised it when it mattered.
"But it for sure gives me a lot of confidence and looking forward to in time with more matches, more practice, more gym sessions, seeing where I can go from there."
During her time in Auckland, Raducanu received the significant boost of being promoted from the qualifying to the main draw at the Australian Open following withdrawals by other players.
Despite having looked weary in the final set and playing the entire match with strapping on her right leg, Raducanu appeared confident of continuing her progress over the coming weeks.
"It's of course pretty exciting for me. I've only played two matches and also my court time has been pretty limited.
I've been training the last few months at the LTA, but I had a few setbacks with my wrists and ankles. So to be back up to speed after so little is a great sign.
"Of course I'm disappointed about today because I was a few points away and had a few forehands mid-court, but at least I took them. I think I'd regret it more if I just pushed it in and let her hit a winner, so at least it was on my terms.
"I'm looking forward to this season, it's just the beginning. It's week one - a lot more to come."
Watch Coco Gauff at the Auckland Classic and Rafael Nadal at the Brisbane International live on Sky Sports through until Sunday.
