AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2024

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

WANG YAFAN/E. Raducanu

6-4, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Emma, you had something you wanted to say before we get into questions.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, first of all, I would say condolences to Mike. I heard the news this morning. Was pretty taken aback to be honest because he was here two nights ago, and everything was normal.

Yeah, just shows how precious life is and puts everything into perspective. I know I came off a three-set loss, but in comparison to what just happened, I was taken aback.

Yeah, condolences. I know it's a very sad day for everyone and his family. I really hope you can stay as strong as you can.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Tell us how you're feeling now and how you were feeling during the match.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, now I feel a little bit better. I had some time. During the match, I'd say, like, third set I was 30-Love up serving. Then all of a sudden just felt so sick, just really like weak and nauseous. Throughout the third set I think everyone could see it was a bit of a battle.

Like physically, body-wise, I felt fine. It was more I was throwing up in my mouth. Then after the match, it came out. Now I'm okay. Yeah, I'll get over it. It just sucks with the timing.

Q. Jack had an experience that sounds very similar. He said that it may have been more tension related than physical. Do you think that might be the case?

EMMA RADUCANU: No way because I won the second set. I was actually feeling good about my tennis. I would say I felt physically good. Mentally, I don't know why, I just felt really composed the entire time. Even in the first set when I was making a ton of errors with the wind, I kind of always had this feeling that I was coming back, just tidy up the errors. I felt pretty composed throughout.

Yeah, I'm just not going to divulge too many details really.

Q. Maybe you got food poisoning or something like that?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I mean, I think I just had a bit of a stomach bug beforehand.

Q. You went on court not feeling good?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I felt good. I mean, like, are you going to try to tease the answer out of me? I felt good. I felt fine. Yeah, I just had a bit of a bug.

Q. On that theme, how close were you to stopping? What kept you going in those moments?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, honestly I've been in that situation before in matches, whether it was with illness or injury, and retired a few times.

I think, to be honest, with what I went through last year, you feel awful right now, at some points I couldn't really see the ball very well, but I think with everything I went through last year, it's made me so much tougher. There was no way I was going to pull out. She was going to have to beat me, and she did. She served it out.

I think the last year off and also just with the amount of niggles and everything that I had, the setbacks, it did make me a lot tougher.

Q. Obviously that's the trip now over. From what I'm seeing, there's not any sign of pain in the hands and the ankle. The hands in particular are an area you can often get setbacks. So how do you feel about those areas moving forward?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm very positive, very happy with how my body is. I think the wrist in particular was something that I struggled with in the coming back because, yeah, I just had a setback for a few months, so I couldn't play till late November again really.

Now I feel good. Ankle feels good. Yeah, I think if I keep my work consistent, like I said previously, I have a good shot. This is obviously only my first trip back. I think that tidying up some of the areas, tidying up a bit of technique and things, also just getting used to playing matches outdoors, as well, because the conditions today were very windy. I think she handled it a lot better, the wind. She jumbled me. She moon-balled me. She gave me a lot of these scrappy little shots, but it worked.

Yeah, I need to spend more time on tour, spend more time training, and putting good weeks together.

Q. Do you know what your schedule was going to be for the next few months? Are you excited about the next few months after these couple weeks?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, I'm really looking forward to it 'cause for me I think there were doubts whether I would be able to make the Australian Open trip. I think that to be here is a bonus, a good starting point I would say because I started putting good practice sessions together with Nick, we're doing good work off the court.

As I said before, I'm more focused on level and the practice days, trying to win the day rather than focusing more on win or loss. I know the difference between me playing okay and me playing good or me playing great are just really, really in the details, like doing a few things just 5% better. I think it makes a huge difference.

I'm feeling very positive. I really just want to play a full season. The encouraging thing is, even though I played two back-to-back three-setters in Auckland, a three-setter today, body-wise, strength-wise, I didn't come up with any random niggles. That just happened throughout the match. It was just me throwing up. That's fine. That's not normal, but it's like a one-off.

Q. When you come back from serious injuries, there's often a fear factor. Are you through that with your injuries or is there still...

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I think the way that I'm committing to like my movement, committing to my training and tennis, I've completely got no fear with it. I feel more confident than ever. Just playing with no pain is something that for a while I didn't know if I'd ever be able to do. I think that is a bonus. I'm very grateful for that.

I think now we just push on with more training, more gym, more work and more consistency.

Q. During your recovery you also had a few trips to China. What's the most memorable things you've done, the best food you had? Would be great if you can answer in Chinese.

EMMA RADUCANU: (Answering in Chinese.)

Q. With Billie Jean King Cup and the Olympics, are they events you would like to play this season? Are they priorities for you?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think I'm GB like number eight or something. No idea if I'll get the call-up for that (smiling). I guess we'll leave it to them to decide.

Q. You would be available if elected?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, of course I always love representing my country, but that being said, I think because of the amount of niggles and the rehab process, I think whatever suits my schedule and my fitness the best is going to have to take priority, especially this year.

For example, if there's a change in surface straightaway, too close in succession, I think I'd have to evaluate what I do. The most sensible thing for me is staying healthy. That's the priority for the year.

I can't say either way. But my intention is good, I want to play.