Britain’s Emma Raducanu says she feels “reborn” as she prepares to make her tennis return in Auckland after eight months on the sidelines.
The 2021 US Open champion played just nine matches in 2023, having been out of action since April.
Raducanu, 21, had surgery on both hands and her left ankle in May, and has dropped to 298th in the world rankings.
She was offered a wildcard for next week’s Auckland Classic and has drawn a qualifier in the first round.
“I feel reborn in a way. I feel fresh, I feel ready, I feel happy and I feel excited,” she said.
“Overall, I’m feeling positive and lighter. I think that for two years after the US Open I felt maybe a bit more weight on my shoulders, but now I feel completely fresh.”
Should she win her first match in Auckland, Raducanu – who has entered the tournament with a protected ranking – will face Danish former world number one Caroline Wozniacki or Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the second round.
But the former world number 10 must go through qualifying to reach the main draw of the Australian Open, with the first Grand Slam tournament of 2024 starting on 14 January.
