Emma Raducanu refused to be too critical of herself after crashing out in the second round of the Australian Open, citing an injury-ravaged preparation for the tournament.
The British 28th seed lost 7-6 (3), 6-2 to world No 55 Anastasia Potapova after establishing a 5-3 lead in the opening set. Raducanu admitted she was never comfortable in windy conditions, saying she had to 'tough out every point'.
Raducanu struggled with a foot injury throughout the off-season and only began intensive drills days before her first match. She believes her serve and forehand suffered as a consequence, but added: 'I have to leave with my head held high because of the matches I’ve had here.'
The 23-year-old acknowledged she needs to re-evaluate her game and return to the offensive baseline style that brought her early success. 'I just want to hit the ball to the corners and hard,' she said.
Raducanu is next scheduled to compete in Cluj, Romania, from 1 February, but her primary goal is to stay healthy and rediscover her identity on court.
