Raducanu will NOT return to tennis this year
Former British No1 tennis player Emma Raducanu will not compete in 2023, instead returning to the sport in 2024.
The former US Open winner underwent surgery in May on both wrists and an ankle and missed three of this year’s four Grand Slams.
“Next season I’ll be back,” the 20-year-old told BBC London.
“This season all the slams were finished so it was difficult to watch them go by but I was trying to stay in my lane as much as possible and keep focused on my recovery.”
The former world No10 has been hit with a number of injuries since her US Open title victory in 2021, where she became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam in 44 years.
She has not progressed beyond the second round of a Grand Slam since that famous win at Flushing Meadows two years ago.
“Wimbledon is the dream and always has been growing up. It’s still the ultimate dream to win Wimbledon,” she said.
She hasn’t played since a defeat by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart in April.
In a statement on her surgery in may, Raducanu said: “It is safe to say the last 10 months have been difficult as I dealt with a recurring injury on a bone of both hands.
“I tried my best to manage the pain and play through it for most of this year and end of last year by reducing practice load dramatically, missing weeks of training as well as cutting last season short to try and heal it, unfortunately it’s not enough.
“I’m having a minor procedure done on both hands to resolve the issues,
“I’m disappointed to share that I will be out for the next few months and while I am at it will have another minor procedure that is due on my ankle.
“It pains me that I will miss the summer events and I tried to down play the issues so I thank all my fans who continued to support me when you did not know the facts.
“Looking forward to seeing you all back out there.”