Emma Raducanu returns to action for the first time in two months against Ons Jabeur

Emma Raducanu plays her first match in more than two months on Friday, although she remains without a new coach ahead of the new season.

The former US Open champion will face Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur in a one-off exhibition match at the Mubadala championships in Abu Dhabi.

It will be her first outing of any kind since wrapping up her tour year in the Czech Republic at the start of October.

Following that she lost another coach in Dmitry Tursunov, and only returned to on-court hitting at the start of this month following wrist problems.

While the search for a new mentor goes on, she is hoping that a sustained period of physical training will see her avoid the repeated issues which have dogged her this year.

‘I’ve put in a two-month fitness block and I am looking forward to seeing how that takes me into 2023,’ she said. ‘ Tennis wise, I took two months not touching a racket due to a wrist injury and now it’s about building that back up for me.

‘In the previous season, I had a huge challenge to stay physically fit, but this is a big goal for me in 2023. 

‘My main target for next season is staying on court and staying healthy for longer and just being able to give myself the best chance for every match.’

Her fellow US Open champion is back in action next week in the Scotland v England ‘Battle of the Brits’ match in Aberdeen, and he was honored yesterday with the ATP Tour’s Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award.

Murray gained the recognition for donating all of his prize money from mid-March onwards – a total of around £510,000 – to the UNICEF fund for relief efforts in Ukraine.

‘In 2014, I became a UNICEF UK Ambassador, the reason to do the right thing is not for an accolade like this, but it is nice that it is appreciated somewhere,’ said Murray.

Sky Sports have confirmed that they will return as the US Open host broadcaster for the UK next year.