Raducanu confident she can return to top

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain plays a forehand return to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. (David Rowland/Photosport via AP)

Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu says her level is “just too good not to come through” as she looks to get her career back on track at the Australian Open.

The British player stunned the tennis world when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021 as a qualifier but only on one other occasion has she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

The 21-year-old has plummeted to 299th in the world after an eight-month layoff with ankle and wrist injuries.

READ: Raducanu feeling ‘reborn’ as she starts 2024 season in Auckland

But she is confident that if she can achieve consistency, she can shoot up the rankings.

“Success to me in the long-term is, for the rest of the year, to play a full season, to be healthy throughout, to be able to train consistent weeks,” she said on Friday.

“I know my level is there, I just need to keep working on it to make it more consistent.

“I think that will come with time in the gym, time on court, being able to play the calendar, not thinking ‘Will I have to pull out from this one? Does that hurt?’ Just being able to go consistently throughout the year.

“I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”

READ: Raducanu delays comeback after ‘challenging year’

Raducanu, who has been criticized for chopping and changing her coaching team, has reunited with childhood coach Nick Cavaday as she prepares for her opening match in Melbourne against American Shelby Rogers.

She was asked whether she would do things differently in the future.

“Reflecting on the past, I think people are very important, like the people who I surround myself with is maybe sometimes even more so,” she said.

“I think surrounding yourself with competent and knowledgeable people is of course really important, but also the type of person and their character is big-time, just making sure we really get on and intentions are really good.”