An upset Emma Raducanu was forced to retire hurt against Viktoria Kuzmova after rolling her ankle. Photo / Photosport
An upset Emma Raducanu was forced to retire hurt against Viktoria Kuzmova after rolling her ankle. Photo / Photosport
Emma Raducanu was distraught after injury forced her to retire from her ASB Classic second-round match on Thursday night but says any future plans — including participation in the Australian Open — will be assessed in the coming days.
The British star was also disappointed with the state of theindoor courts used at the Auckland tournament, after constant rain had made outdoor play impossible, commenting that they were “incredibly slick” and “slippery”.
Raducanu appeared to twist her left ankle awkwardly towards the end of the second set, which was taken 7-5 by Viktoria Kuzmova, after Raducanu had won the first set 6-0.
She called for the physiotherapist at the change of ends, before her foot was assessed and strapped up. The 20-year-old attempted one serve, but didn’t move for the return, before walking to the net to concede.
The 2021 US Open champion was in tears as reality sunk in and still upset after the match.
“It’s difficult to take,” said Raducanu. “I’ve put a lot of physical work in the last few months and I’ve been feeling good and optimistic. So to be stopped by a freak injury, rolling an ankle, is pretty disappointing. In the first week as well, I thought I was playing some pretty decent tennis.”
The indoor courts have a different surface to the outdoor ones normally used for the tournament. They are faster, with a lower bounce and it’s understood they have less give.
“The courts were incredibly slick, like very slippery,” said Raducanu. “So to be honest it’s not a surprise that this happens to someone. It’s out of my control and after a very long day of waiting around.”
Emma Raducanu receives medical treatment on her ankle. Photo / Photosport
Raducanu couldn’t provide an immediate diagnosis, or an update on her Melbourne plans.
“We will assess over the next few days and see what the next steps are,” said Raducanu.
It’s a massive blow. Before the injury she had looked good, sweeping through the first set. Kuzmova came back into the match, though the Brit paid dearly for only converting one of six break opportunities in the second set.
“I had been feeling good,” said Raducanu. “I got off to a really good start in the first set. Second set she was coming back. It’s just indoor tennis really, it’s completely different — the dynamic — compared to outdoors.
“But I’m feeling positive about how things were going and the set-up I have right now.”
Raducanu understandably had mixed feelings about her Auckland experience. The weather had dampened her time here, while she — in a diplomatic way — was critical of some of the organisation but also grateful for the crowd support.
Raducanu was the third match scheduled for Thursday but didn’t go on court until almost 9pm, after the first match between Venus Williams and Zhu Lin started late then took more than six hours to complete, thanks to rain, then an extended time to transfer to the indoor courts.
“Overall it rained a lot this week so I didn’t get to see much,” said Raducanu, when asked about her experience here. “And I thought, maybe certain aspects could have been organised a little bit better.
“But overall I had a really pleasant support when we were playing outdoors and the crowd made me feel really welcome and at home.”
Leylah Fernandez waves to the crowd after winning her first-round match against Brenda Fruhvirtova at the ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport
Third-seed Leylah Fernandez was more relaxed about the experience of the indoor courts, after completing a rapid 6-0 6-1 victory over Austrian Julia Grabher in 44 minutes.
World No 40 Fernandez, who had also played doubles inside on Wednesday said the makeshift solution was adequate.
“What we got is a court, net and a tennis ball,” said Fernandez. “That’s all we need. And I’m just glad that we have the opportunity to play tennis and to get the tournament going. It would have been more complicated to wait another day outside, not knowing what the weather’s going to be like, we can’t control the weather. So I’m just super happy that the tournament has these options and that I was able to play my match and I was able to do well.”
Fernandez had been near flawless in Auckland, albeit against two relatively modest opponents. She didn’t give up a break-point opportunity in Thursday’s match — dropping only seven points on serve — and was lethal off the ground against the world No 82.
Fernandez wasn’t expecting such a simple passage so far — “I knew the tournament was going to be super hard” — but is grateful that things have clicked into gear to start the season.
“I’m just happy that the hard work that I’ve been putting in for the past couple of months has been paying off up to now,” said Fernandez. “I just hope I can keep this level up for the remainder of the tournament.”
Fernandez faces Belgian qualifier Ysaline Bonaventure (world No 95) in Friday’s third quarter-final. The first of the last-eight matches sees top-seed Coco Gauff take on Zhu Lin, before Kuzmova plays seventh-seed Danka Kovinic. Friday’s scheduled action is rounded out by Karolina Muchova against Rebeka Masarova.
