Raducanu has 'rekindled love for tennis'

Emma Raducanu says she has "rekindled" her emotion for tennis and is excited astir what she mightiness now achieve.

The 21-year-old Briton said successful April of being "mentally and emotionally exhausted" aft losing heavy to Argentine qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle successful nan Madrid Open first round.

She past missed nan French Open to guarantee she was afloat fresh for nan grass-court season, having endured an injury-plagued 2023 campaign.

Raducanu returned to title astatine nan Nottingham Open earlier this period and enjoyed a rewarding tally to nan semi-finals.

Despite losing to eventual champion and British number 1 Katie Boulter, Raducanu says she feels "brighter and bubblier" now.

"It's a bully emotion for maine because it hasn't ever been nan case," nan 2021 US Open victor told BBC TV.

"I'm very happy to person rekindled nan emotion for tennis and conscionable enjoying nan challenges that travel pinch it and not getting truthful down astir it, conscionable trying a measurement to spell around."

Raducanu will proceed mentation for nan commencement of Wimbledon adjacent week erstwhile she takes connected Sloane Stephens, a chap erstwhile US Open champion, astatine Eastbourne connected Tuesday.

Asked erstwhile she had sewage her spark back, Raducanu told reporters: "I would opportunity correct earlier Nottingham it happened.

"I'm conscionable really grateful to person this emotion again because it's thing that I consciousness for illustration I've been missing successful a measurement for nan past fewer years, and I haven't felt this bully astir my tennis and excited astir it and passionate for a long, agelong time."

Raducanu, nan erstwhile British number one, is classed 168th successful nan world pursuing wrist and ankle operations past year.

She has decided to prioritise a return to afloat fittingness complete playing clip this season, which is why she skipped Roland Garros and has turned down nan chance to play for Great Britain astatine this summer's Olympics.

"I really consciousness for illustration I'm successful a batch amended spirits connected and disconnected nan court," Raducanu said.

"Someone really commented nan different time - 'Oh, it's for illustration you're backmost to your aged self' - and I'd really say, 'No, it's my caller self' because I person nan experiences that I've learned from nan past me, too."