Emma Raducanu’s comeback hailed as a ‘miracle’ after she spent time on a mobility scooter

Emma Raducanu in action in 2024

Emma Raducanu has already served up a minor miracle to get back on a tennis court after spending part of last summer using a mobility scooter after three major surgeries, according to Sky Sports commentator Jonathan Overend.

Raducanu made her comeback in Auckland at the start of January and won her first match before losing a high-quality contest against Elina Svitolina, yet the tennis she showed for long periods of that second match fuelled hope that she could have a successful 2024.

There are some injury doubts over Raducanu as she prepares to play at the Australian Open after the 21-year-old pulled out of two warm-up matches this week, yet Overend told Tennis365 that the 2021 US Open champion has won her biggest battle just to get back on court.

“You have to understand where she has come from over the last few months,” began the lead Sky Sports commentator.

“When you are out for eight months and have three different surgeries, that is tough. At one point last summer, three of her limbs were basically incapacitated. She was using a mobility scooter.

“So to be back on the court at all was miraculous, but to find the level she showed over those first two sets against Svitolina, I was really surprised. It was really, really encouraging.

“The way she fought back in the second set was almost as impressive as the first set win and there were so many positive signs for Emma heading into the Australian Open.

“Similarly with Svitolina. If she plays at the level she showed in that match against Raducanu and on her run to the final against Coco Guaff in Auckland, I’d have her down as one of the contenders to win it.”

READ MORE: Laura Robson identifies Emma Raducanu’s mindset shift ahead of Australian Open

The negativity around Raducanu is highlighted by the bizarre social media accounts that have been set up purely to mock her, but Overend believes the young Brit is ready to silence her critics if she can steer clear of injuries this year.

“I’ve taken some questions at events over the last year about Raducanu and I don’t really understand the negative tones around them,” he added.

“You get asked what has gone wrong with Raducanu and why has she gone off the rails.

“She has already achieved more than 99.9 per cent of the population and that is an amazing thing to say.

“Now she is coming back and in her Sky Sports interview before her comeback event, she said she felt refreshed and reborn. What a line that was.

“If she can match the positivity of her language with the positivity of her form on the court, she can get back to the top 20 and maybe even the top ten. We’d love to see her win another Grand Slam and it would be great to see her do well at the Australian Open.”

Raducanu’s ranking has collapsed due to her lack of activity over the last few months, but the critics who appear to delight in her setbacks may be in for a disappointing year if the opening salvo of the second coming of Raducanu is anything to go by.

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