Emma Raducanu has offered an encouraging glimpse of her recovery by sharing footage of herself serving on court after missing Wimbledon and the US Open.
The British tennis star has been sidelined for approximately 12 weeks because of a stress fracture in her foot, with the problem forcing her out of two of the season’s four Grand Slam tournaments.
However, Raducanu now appears to have taken an important step towards returning to competitive action.
The 23-year-old posted a video on Instagram showing her practising her serve on an empty court at the Lawn Tennis Association’s National Tennis Centre in south-west London.
She captioned the clip “Day 4”, seemingly indicating that she had entered the fourth day of a more intensive phase of her rehabilitation programme.
Perhaps the most significant detail was that Raducanu was no longer wearing the protective moon boot she had required earlier in her recovery.
The former US Open champion had previously been seen using the boot while moving around London and during a visit to a hotel retreat in Switzerland.
Her latest update will therefore fuel hopes that she could return before the conclusion of the 2026 tennis season.
Emma Raducanu has offered an encouraging glimpse of her recovery by sharing footage of herself serving on court after missing Wimbledon and the US Open
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EMMA RADUCANU/INSTAGRAM
Raducanu has traditionally enjoyed competing during the Asian swing, partly because of her Chinese heritage, and tournaments held throughout late September and October could offer a possible comeback target.
No official date has been announced, however, and her team will be cautious about accelerating her return after a lengthy absence.
Raducanu has slipped to No 70 in the world rankings because of her inactivity.
She withdrew from Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament after scans confirmed a stress fracture in her foot. The injury was connected to a long-standing problem involving her right ankle and lower shin.
Five things to know about British tennis star Emma Raducanu | PA
Although Raducanu worked extensively on her rehabilitation, medical specialists advised her to miss the US Open to give the fracture further time to heal.
Her absence from Flushing Meadows was particularly painful given her extraordinary history at the tournament.
Raducanu became a global star there in 2021 when she won the title as an 18-year-old qualifier without dropping a set.
It remains the only occasion in tennis history that a qualifier has lifted a Grand Slam singles trophy.
Her team decided returning to New York this year represented too great a risk, despite the progress she had made during her rehabilitation.
Raducanu has not played competitively since losing 6-0, 7-6 to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the Queen’s final on June 14.
Emma Raducanu has not played competitively since losing 6-0, 7-6 to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the Queen’s final on June 14
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PA
Her physical problems flared after she was forced to play three matches across two days during a rain-disrupted tournament.
Bad weather meant the quarter-finals and semi-finals were both contested on the Saturday before Raducanu returned to court for Sunday’s final.
That punishing schedule placed considerable strain on her body and contributed to the foot problem that has kept her out ever since.
The sight of Raducanu serving again represents her most positive public update for several weeks and bodes well ahead of the end of the year.
