The 2021 US Open champion was sidelined with a foot injury for two months before she joined her British teammates in the south of Spain, where they will face Slovakia in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Raducanu, who has gone 2-0 in singles so far in Malaga, is feeling fresh and wants to kickstart her preseason training as soon as she is done with the Billie Jean King Cup.
“I think traditionally you’d probably have a bit of a break and take a holiday or something,” Raducanu said. “But I feel like I have had four, five weeks off tennis, and I don’t really need any more time off.
“If anything, I’m excited and just itchy to get on the practice court, and of course seeing some of my performances this week, it just incentivizes me to do more work.”
After spending eight months out of action last year while recovering from multiple surgeries, Raducanu, now 22, had a relatively light schedule this past season. Still, she won 20 of the 33 matches she contested on tour and will end her season ranked 58 in the world.
She feels good about her first half of the year — highlighted by a run to the fourth round at her home Grand Slam of Wimbledon — but feels her body let her down in the latter stages of 2024.
“My assessment is, I think sometimes I need reminding,” she said. “I’m top 60 in the world and I have played less than 15 events, which is pretty unheard of, in a way.
“I have to pat myself on the back for that. I know I’m a dangerous player. I know no one wants to pull my name in the draw. I take pride in that, and I’m looking forward to hopefully staying on court longer next year.”
