Emma Raducanu finally makes tennis  comeback after 259 days out, with 21-year-old British star relaunching her career after injury nightmare

Emma Raducanu has made her long-awaited return to competitive tennis after 259 days out. 

The British star, who won the US Open in 2021, has been dogged by injury and worked tirelessly to come back, relaunching her career against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in Auckland. 

The 21-year-old looked full of confidence as she smiled and waved to the crowd when announced before the match. 

Raducanu’s inactivity over the last few months means she’s plummeted down the rankings lowly 298th in the world. 

But the talent that made her a star on the big stage was immediately there to see for those watching the Auckland Classic clash. 

The British star used a scooter after an operation on her ankle, and procedures on her wrists 

Raducanu started well in an even contest and then pulled away in the first set, claiming it 6-3. More importantly, there were no signs of ill-effects from three surgeries undertaken. 

She went under the knife to fix two wrist issues and a problem with her left ankle after ending her season last year. 

And having been given a wildcard to the same event that she exited in tears after rolling the ankle last year, Raducanu was full of excitement ahead of the event. 

She said: ‘I feel reborn in a way. I feel fresh, ready, happy, excited. Overall I’m feeling positive and lighter. 

‘I actually think I’m a better tennis player than I was before the break. In practice over the last few weeks I’m hitting the ball really well.

‘Physically I’m pushing things that I wasn’t doing before. In my body I actually have confidence, which is really nice and tennis-wise I feel good, too.’

She added: ‘It was so hard, especially the first few months.

‘When you’re so used to being active and moving around all the time, then to all of a sudden have everything just cut off from you.

‘I had two wrists and one foot injured, so I couldn’t even use crutches. It was difficult being that immobile. But it reignited the fire to get back out there competing.’