Emma Raducanu return date revealed as US Open goes on without former champion
Emma Raducanu hasn't played tennis since April as she recovers from injury
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Emma Raducanu is likely to return to tennis in December, according to reports.
The Brit hasn't played since being beaten by Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart back in April, with this year's US Open going on without her.
Raducanu, of course, previously won that Grand Slam back in 2021 when she powered her way past Leylah Fernandez in the final.
The 20-year-old has shared some updates in recent times showing her training, while she's currently enjoying some recovery time in China.
Emma Raducanu previously won the US Open back in 2021
PA
According to the Daily Mail, however, Raducanu is unlikely to return to the WTA circuit before it ends in early November.
She is instead hopeful she'll be able to play an exhibition in Macau on December 2 against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
Raducanu previously beat Bencic at the US Open two years ago on her way to claiming success in that tournament.
The publication says the youngster is also aiming to play in a mixed doubles involving men's players Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe.
For now, however, it's a case of patience.
Raducanu is also confident of playing in other exhibition tournaments before making an official return in January.
That means it's also possible she'll be able to play at the Australian Open.
She has, however, never made it past the second round Down Under.
Raducanu lost in three sets to Danka Kovinic at the competition 18 months ago.
And young American star Coco Gauff was too strong for the Brit when they locked horns at the Rod Laver Arena earlier this year.
Ever since winning the US Open, Raducanu has faced claims that she's not focused on tennis and that sponsorship deals have been her priority.
But coach Max Eisenbud shut down those suggestions and insisted that wasn't the case.
“In Emma’s situation, we could have done 100 deals.
“She could be doing deals, and deals and deals, they left millions and millions of dollars on the table, they strategically took the best brands with the most limited time, the brands that understood that it was going to be a rocky road," he said recently.
“None of her sponsors have ever called up and been like ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe she’s not winning!’. No one.
"I know people want to say ‘the pressure, she’s got the pressure’, I think the pressure she has is that she won a great tournament and she wants that feeling again and she wants to keep winning.
“The sponsors couldn’t have been more supportive, even through the injury.
"I know people want to say that the narrative, the big bad IMG is bringing in all this money and making them take deals but we’re a pretty well-established company, we’re not living and dying on commission.
"Our lights are going to stay on in the office.
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Emma Raducanu is hoping to play against Belinda Bencic in December
PA
"We want to do the best thing for the client and keep the client for a long time.”
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