Emma Raducanu says pushing past her fear of needles has played a key role in helping her stay fit ahead of her French Open return.
The British No. 2 experienced a back spasm during a warm-up event in Strasbourg and has been managing the issue carefully in practice sessions at Roland Garros.
“It’s feeling alright—still not quite 100%, but we’re making progress. I’ve got a few days to get there,” Raducanu told BBC Sport.
The 22-year-old faced a similar back problem before this year’s Australian Open. This time, she’s been using dry needling and heat therapy to manage the discomfort.
Despite the setback, Raducanu says she’s ready to take on China’s Wang Xinyu in Monday’s opening round in Paris.
“I’d say the issue before the Australian Open was worse. This time, I caught it early before it fully tightened up,” said Raducanu, currently ranked No. 43 in the world. She made it to the second round on her only previous French Open appearance in 2021.
“At the start of the year, I was terrified of needles probably my biggest fear. But using them was the only way I could play in Australia. Since then, I’ve slowly gotten used to it, because I know it helps, even though it still scares me.”
Raducanu has been steadily rebuilding her career after undergoing wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023. Since returning, she’s climbed back into the world’s top 50, a big leap from her drop outside the top 300.
The 2021 US Open champion has already played more events in the first half of this season than ever before. However, she acknowledges that clay courts put more pressure on her back due to the long rallies and high bounces.
Her improved physical resilience has been crucial this year, but Raducanu also emphasizes the importance of listening to her own body, a lesson she’s learned from past injuries.
“I used to keep pushing through because people said I wasn’t tough enough—that I should train harder,” she explained. “But deep down, I knew the pain was more than just soreness.”
“I wish I’d trusted myself earlier. I could’ve avoided eight to twelve months of struggle. But at least now I’ve learned from it.”
British No. 1 Battle Heats Up
Raducanu’s recent rise has sparked a close race for the British No. 1 spot, with Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal also in contention.
Boulter, who’s held the top spot for nearly two years, recently won a WTA 125 clay title, moving up to No. 38 in the world—five spots ahead of Raducanu and 15 ahead of Kartal.
“I want Emma, Sonay, and others to push me in the rankings,” said Boulter. “Being British No. 1 is a privilege, but it’s not something I fixate on. I focus on my own game.”
Boulter has a solid chance to advance in Paris after drawing French qualifier Carole Monnet, ranked 227th.
Kartal, who is making her debut in the French Open main draw, has risen quickly after a tough battle with illness and injury. A year ago, she was ranked 278th and facing doubts about her career.
Now nearing the top 50, Kartal opens her campaign against Russia’s Erika Andreeva. However, a potential second-round clash with 2022 runner-up Coco Gauff could be a tough hurdle.
“I love playing on clay I grew up on it,” Kartal said. “These courts feel natural to me. I think they really suit my style.”
Joining them in the women’s singles draw is British No. 7 Jodie Burrage, also making her debut using a protected ranking. The 25-year-old missed last year’s event after tearing ankle ligaments while chasing a drop shot in practice.
This week, a photo popped up on her phone, showing her wearing a medical boot at this time last year a reminder of how far she’s come.
“I needed that,” Burrage said. “Practice didn’t go great yesterday, but seeing that photo reminded me I was on crutches a year ago. Now I’m here, playing the French Open.”
She’ll face a tough opening-roun
d match against former world No. 7 Danielle Collins.
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