According to Naomi Broady, Emma Raducanu’s performances have mirrored those of players ranked inside the world’s top ten heading into the Australian Open.
Raducanu, who was rated as high as global No.10 in 2022, has slipped to No.301 after being out for eight months due to injury issues and subsequent surgery.
The 21-year-old has had a strong start to the new season, defeating Elena-Gabriela Ruse in Auckland before impressing in a loss to Wimbledon semi-finalist Elina Svitolina, who has been compared to Iga Swiatek.
Former British star Broady has praised Raducanu just 10 days before the start of the year’s first Grand Slam, where the 2021 US Open winner has received direct entry to the main draw because to her protected ranking and several withdrawals.
‘Loads of positives to take,’ Broady said of Raducanu, according to Sky Sports. ‘It was Raducanu’s second match in eight months, her first tournament back, and her first match was very difficult.
‘I think it was simply a physical step too much, but both of them were playing top 10 today.’
Broady remarked, when asked how far Raducanu will go at the Australian Open, ‘It’s a tricky question.
‘I know her current personal goals are to be fit and healthy. She was holding her back near the conclusion of the play, and she had a lot of tape on her thigh today, which she did not have in her first round encounter.
‘But tennis is such a physically demanding sport, isn’t it? There aren’t many other sports where you’d spend so many hours, seven days a week, week after week, for 11 months of the year.
