Emma Raducanu Conquers Needle Phobia to Shine at French Open

Emma Raducanu, the former U.S. Open champion, has successfully tackled her fear of needles in her quest to manage a back injury before the French Open. This comes after she experienced a back spasm during the Strasbourg Grand Prix and a similar issue earlier this year at the Australian Open. To address this, Raducanu has resorted to dry needling and heat therapy to alleviate her condition.

The British player made it to the second round in her last Roland Garros appearance three years ago, but surgeries on her wrist and ankle in 2023 impacted her rankings. Having once dropped out of the top 300, she is now making a return to the world's top 50. Speaking to BBC Sport, Raducanu expressed cautious optimism about her recovery, saying, "It feels OK, it feels good, not 100% yet, but we're working towards that."

Despite a notable fear of needles at the year's start, Raducanu has embraced the treatment as essential to her career, proving its effectiveness despite her apprehension. During the clay court season, she reached the last 16 of the Italian Open and competed until the second round in Madrid, marking her ongoing ascent in the tennis world.

(With inputs from agencies.)