Emma Raducanu refused to use a disinfectant spray due to anti-doping concerns after suffering an allergic reaction to an insect bite.

The former US Open champion said her hands and ankles swelled in Melbourne but she refused treatment in case contamination led to a positive doping test.

It comes after five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek failed a doping test in August and was suspended for a month after a drug she took to relieve jet lag was contaminated, while the men’s world ranking No. 1 Jannik Sinner tested positive twice. In March, I took anabolic steroids with a massage from my trainer.

“All of us can be very sensitive about what we carry, what we use,” Raducanu, 22, told reporters at Friday’s pre-match press conference.

“For example, yesterday, I got bitten really bad by something I don’t know, like an ant or a mosquito or something. I guess I had an allergy.

“They suddenly burned and swelled terribly.”

She added: “I was given this natural antibacterial spray to try and soothe the bites.

“I didn’t want to take it. I didn’t want to spray it. I was just left with a swollen ankle and hand.

“I’m just going to hold on because I don’t want to take any chances. It’s obviously a concern on our minds. We’re all in the same boat.

“I think it’s about how we manage the controllable factors as much as possible. If something happens that we can’t control, it becomes a little harder to try and prove.”

“I am a dangerous opponent to anyone”

Raducanu pulled out of a scheduled warm-up game in Auckland last week with a back injury but has been training at Melbourne Park this week.

Raducanu revealed that the root of the problem was a cramp that occurred while training in London.

“I’ve been feeling great,” she said. “I think I’ve had a positive training session over the past 10 days. It’s good for me to get back on the court and adapt to the conditions here. Now I feel good and I’m ready to do my best here.”

“I was warming up one morning and I was bending over to tie my shoes and I got a seizure. It was like that. It took a while to get back to normal. I’ve had this happen to me before. It usually goes away within a few days.” But it bothered me for a few weeks and I had to miss quite a bit of training before I left for the Auckland game. “

It was another physical setback for Raducanu, who played just 10 games after Wimbledon last year, missing two months with a foot injury before recovering in time to represent Team GB. Billie Jean King Cup in November.

There she won all three matches and a good performance in training this week has boosted her confidence.

“I’ve been playing against top players,” she said. “I feel like I’m performing really well in these situations and in training. I feel good about my game. I’m looking forward to performing well on the field. I think I can be a dangerous opponent for anyone really. explain.”

Raducano A tough draw with No. 26 seed Ekaterina AlexandrovaShe was due to compete at Wimbledon last summer, but the 30-year-old withdrew.

“Of course it’s a tricky draw,” Raducanu said of Tuesday’s match. “Being unseeded, you can play any top opponent. She’s an experienced player. I think I came in with a loser mentality. She’s been in this situation a lot more than I have.”

A new member of Raducanu’s team this season is renowned strength and conditioning coach Yu Nakamura, whom the former U.S. Open champion hopes can help her improve her recovery and realize her potential.

She doesn’t expect to see results overnight, saying: “I think getting in shape is an ongoing process. I don’t think it’s necessarily a timetable.

“It’s like, ‘OK, in a year I’m going to be a top athlete.’ Even if you’re a top athlete, there’s always things you can do better. But I think when I step on the court, I Different courts have definitely been felt.

“I feel like I’m very reactive and explosive. I think it’s because my warm-up isn’t necessarily a warm-up but more like a drill. When I go out there, I feel like I’m court ready.

“As to how long it’s going to take, I’m not sure. I trust his work and I trust his judgment.”

Bolt: That number is my name for a reason

Britain’s leading female player is 22nd seed Katie Boulter, who will look to continue her upward momentum.

Bolt is now targeting a top-10 finish and showed she is a threat to the leaders when she held off world number two Iga Swiatek at last week’s Fed Cup.

“Iga is one of the best players in the sport,” Bolt said. “I really felt like I could cross that line. I felt like I was calm in those situations as well, which is something I don’t always feel when I’m playing against big players.

“I think that mentality is going to help me win those games. I really believe I can do it.

“I believe that number is named after me for a reason. I want to keep it higher and higher.”

Bolt, who will have home support following her engagement to Australian number one Alex De Minaur, will start her campaign with Canadian Rebecca Marino on Tuesday.

What’s coming to Sky Sports Tennis?

• ABN AMRO Rotterdam Open (ATP 500) – February 3-9
• Dallas Open (ATP 500) – February 3-9
• Delray Beach Open (ATP 250) – February 10-16
• IEB+ Argentina Open (ATP 250) – February 10-16
• The 13th Provence Open (ATP 250) – February 10-16
• Transylvania Open (WTA 250) – February 3-9
• Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) – February 3-8
• Qatar TotalEnergies Open (WTA 1000) – February 9-15
• Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship (WTA 1000) – February 16-22

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