PAIN, SET AND MATCH

Emma feared she'd never play again

- NEIL McLEMAN

EMMA RADUCANU feared her career could be long wrecked by pain in her wrists during her injury lay-off last year.

The former US Open champion had surgeries on her wrists and an ankle in May and still has the scars as "battle wounds" But a setback in August saw her stop hitting balls for four months.

She pulled out of an exhibition event in Macau in December and two more friendlies in Melbourne last week.

Raducanu will play her first Grand Slam match in a year against world No.156 Shelby Rogers tomorrow after playing only twice in Auckland.