Jan 4 (Reuters) - Emma Raducanu's return to tennis was delayed after the Briton pulled out of her clash with Japan's Naomi Osaka at the United Cup mixed team tournament in Perth on Sunday due to a foot injury sustained late last year.
Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness problems since her U.S. Open triumph as a teenager in 2021 but she rediscovered her rhythm in a run to the Miami Open quarter-finals last year before ending her season prematurely due to physical issues.
The 23-year-old was set to play her first match since October against Osaka as she builds up for the Australian Open Grand Slam, but team captain Tim Henman said the tie had come too early.
"She struggled with her foot at the end of last year," Henman told reporters after Britain's hard-earned 2-1 win.
"The improvement she's made has been fantastic. She's been practising in London, only doing static drills, to be out on the practice court and moving and playing games. She's very close."
Katie Swan stepped up to take on Osaka but Henman did not rule out Raducanu playing in their next group stage encounter against Greece on Monday, although doubts remain.
"In terms of tomorrow, it's still a little bit up in the air. We're forced to put Emma on the list because if we didn't do that, then that only gives us one option," Henman said.
"When we get back tonight, we'll discuss it as a team."
Britain are already without world number 10 Jack Draper, who is nursing a left arm injury that forced him out of tournaments Down Under this year.
The Australian Open will run from January 18 to February 1.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
