Emma Raducanu said she uses her injury setbacks as fuel on the court after battling the return of a right wrist issue to beat Danka Kovinic 6-2, 6-3 in the first round at Indian Wells on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Briton has suffered a series of health problems of late, including an ankle injury ahead of January's Australian Open, tonsillitis that forced her to withdraw before last week's Austin Open and a wrist injury, which short. season 2022.
โI love competing even when you're struggling,โ she told reporters when asked how she stays positive amid health issues.
โHaving something you're going through gives you, in a way, more incentive. I have to be aggressive, I have to dominate. I find a way to use it to my advantage as much as I can."
Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, showed a lot of heart at the tournament in the Southern California desert on Thursday, fighting back from an early break in both sets to defeat Danka Kovinic 6-2, 6-3.
She said her strategy at this point was not to look too far into the future.
"I'm not 100%, but you never are," he said.
โThe short-term plan is to manage it as best as possible. Manage the load, don't train so much.
"Getting through the tournament and evaluating afterwards."
