After losing to Anastasia Potapova with a score of 7:6 (3), 6:2, the 28th seed Raducanu emphasized that her preparation for the tournament was hampered by injuries. In the first set, she had a lead of 5:3 but was unable to maintain it. According to her, the weather conditions also added difficulties to the match, preventing her from demonstrating her best physical form.
“I don’t want to be too critical of myself, as I know the challenges I faced during my preparation for this tournament. I leave with my head held high. Initially, I had doubts about whether I would be able to come to Australia, so the very fact of participating is already a success,” the tennis player shared.
During the match, the 23-year-old athlete noted that it was difficult for her to concentrate and fight for every point. Physical issues again affected her preparation: during the off-season, she experienced foot pain and was only able to start full training a few days before the season began.
Raducanu also pointed out that the quality of her serve and forehand play in Australia is significantly lower than she is used to, which is related to insufficient preparation. Despite the early exit, she emphasized that the matches played are beneficial for her physical condition.
Now the former US Open champion plans to focus on recovery and returning to the aggressive playing style on the baseline that helped her quickly gain recognition on the international stage.
