Emma Raducanu trialled a Yonex racket during her preparation in Australia ahead of the new tennis season, sparking speculation about a potential equipment switch from her long-time supplier Wilson.
The British No 1 spent approximately two weeks practising with the Japanese manufacturer's equipment before the United Cup got underway.
However, when Raducanu stepped onto the court in Perth for her opening match of the campaign against Greece's Maria Sakkari, she reached for her familiar Wilson racket instead.
The 22-year-old ultimately fell to the Greek player in a three-set encounter at the team competition, later addressing questions about her racket experimentation during the post-match press conference.
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Raducanu has been associated with Wilson since her junior days, with the American brand's distinctive logo featuring prominently during her remarkable US Open triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2021.
That fairytale victory led to an enhanced endorsement arrangement with the sports equipment giant.
The sight of Raducanu wielding a Yonex racket at training sessions in Australia prompted widespread conjecture that she might be departing from Wilson for the Japanese firm.
Emma Raducanu trialled a Yonex racket during her preparation in Australia ahead of the new tennis season, sparking speculation about a potential equipment switch from her long-time supplier Wilson
|GETTY
Her public testing of rival equipment also suggests she may no longer be bound by contractual obligations to the American manufacturer, as such experimentation would typically be prohibited under an active sponsorship agreement.
Raducanu explained her decision to revert to Wilson for the competitive fixture, citing insufficient time to build confidence with the new equipment.
"I didn't have much time to test, because I wasn't playing for too long," she revealed.
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Five facts for tennis fans | GETTY/PA"I was just looking to see if there was anything I can gain or add and hoped that I could have that time to do it, and I did. I practiced those two weeks pretty much with that racket."
She then acknowledged the Yonex performed well but said trusting it fully in match conditions came too quickly.
"It's great. I just felt like to play a match and to fully trust it, it was too soon. I just switched back to my racket," Raducanu said.
"I know with certain shots, you feel every gram, you feel every kind of millimetre of your own racket, and you know it like your own hand."
The British player revealed her motivation for experimenting with alternative equipment centred on generating additional pace.
Emma Raducanu embraces Maria Sakkari at the net following her defeat at the United Cup over the weekend
| GETTY"In a racket, I probably was looking for a bit more power, a bit more help and miles per hour on the ball, especially when it gets so heavy like it can in the evenings and with the balls," Raducanu explained.
The Yonex E-Zone model she tested is renowned for delivering extra power, though typically at the expense of shot control.
While Raducanu officially endorses the Wilson Blade range, she actually competes using a Wilson Steam 100 disguised as a Blade.
"This one didn't work. Yeah, probably now I'll just stick to this until I have another gap in the season," she concluded.