British tennis star feels “strange” to return to court

British tennis star Emma Raducanu said it felt “strange” to return to the court after more than two months away, but her three-set battle with Maria Sakkari at the United Cup gave her confidence that she can safely increase the intensity of her training.

The 2021 US Open champion pulled out of a planned match against Naomi Osaka at the mixed-team tournament on Sunday due to a foot injury sustained late last year, but she was able to face Greece’s Sakkari in Perth, CE Report quotes BTA.

The 23-year-old lost 3–6, 6–3, 1–6, and Great Britain was eliminated from the competition, but Raducanu saw positives in her comeback.

“I’m quite happy with how I managed to play a three-set match. Considering I’d only played five or six games in practice, that’s a big step forward for me,” she told reporters.

Raducanu struggled with several injuries in 2025. She reached the quarterfinals in Miami before ending her season prematurely.

“They were a good two months or more when I didn’t play. It was hard to build the load back up. I think the ability to fight in three sets after not playing for a long time gives me confidence in what I can do when I train more. At first, you feel a bit like a stranger on the court in the first set, just playing points again. Now I know I need to pull myself together and keep working,” the Briton said, quoted by Reuters.

As reported by CE Report, Raducanu will return to competition at the Hobart tournament starting on January 12, ahead of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, which begins on January 18.

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