British tennis star Emma Raducanu faced a challenging second-round exit from the Australian Open, citing a stomach bug that hampered her performance against Wang Yafan. The former US Open champion, in only her fourth match since returning from three surgeries and eight months out, displayed remarkable resilience despite health struggles.

During the match, Raducanu experienced breathing difficulties, chest pains, and nausea. Despite battling through these physical challenges, she eventually succumbed to Wang Yafan 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 after two hours and 55 minutes of play. Reflecting on the match, Raducanu revealed the pre-existing stomach bug that had affected her throughout the game.

“I think I just had a bit of a stomach bug beforehand,” Raducanu shared during her press conference. “Now I feel a little bit better. I had some time. During the match, third set, I was 30-0 up serving. Then all of a sudden, I just felt so sick, just really weak and nauseous. Throughout the third set, I think everyone could see it was a bit of a battle.”

Despite the challenges, Raducanu commended her mental composure during the match. “Like physically, body-wise, I felt fine. It was more I was throwing up in my mouth. Then after the match, it came out. Now I’m OK. I’ll get over it. It just sucks with the timing,” she explained.

Raducanu acknowledged the difficulties she faced but emphasized her determination to keep playing. “I’ve been in that situation before in matches, whether it was with illness or injury, and retired a few times,” she said. Reflecting on her past experiences, she highlighted how those challenges made her tougher.

“There was no way I was going to pull out. She was going to have to beat me, and she did. She served it out,” Raducanu added.

Despite the disappointment, Raducanu expressed optimism for the future. “The encouraging thing is, even though I played two back-to-back three-setters in Auckland, a three-setter today, body-wise, strength-wise, I didn’t come up with any random niggles,” she said.

As Raducanu leaves the Australian Open, her focus remains on playing a full season and maintaining a positive mindset. The 21-year-old remains determined to overcome setbacks and continue making strides in her tennis career.

Emma Raducanu in 2024

Ranked no.296, Emma played her last match on the 18^th of January when she surrendered to world no.94 Yafan Wang 6-4 4-6 6-4 in the 2^nd round of the Australian Open (draw).

Presently, during this year the Brit achieved a 2-2 record.