Raducanu Forced to Withdraw from Wimbledon
Britain's Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon on the eve of her opening match due to a stress fracture in her right leg, the All England Club confirmed. The 2021 US Open champion announced the decision on Instagram on Sunday evening, stating that medical scans revealed the injury had worsened despite her efforts to manage it.
Injury Details and Timeline
Raducanu had been dealing with a leg niggle since her run to the final at Queen's Club earlier this month. She revealed at a news conference on Sunday that she first felt the injury during the clay-court season, and it was aggravated during the grass-court warm-up event at Queen's, where she played five matches. After a final scan on Sunday night, the niggle developed into a stress fracture, forcing her to withdraw on medical advice.
Raducanu's Statement on Withdrawal
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through,” Raducanu wrote on Instagram. “Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process.”
Impact on Wimbledon and British Tennis
Raducanu was the highest-profile British player in the Wimbledon draw and was scheduled to open play on No. 1 Court on Monday against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic. Her withdrawal leaves the tournament without its biggest home star. Raducanu has not won a tour-level tournament since her surprising US Open title run as a qualifier in 2021, but she impressed at Queen's Club, reaching the final before losing to Donna Vekic.
Earlier Comments on Injury Management
Earlier on Sunday, Raducanu acknowledged the challenge of managing the injury. “Queen’s, during that week, was a lot of load for me,” she said. “Five matches after having not competed for a while. But I’m just managing it with my team as best as I possibly can, exhausting all options and doing what we can.” Despite her hopes to play, the final scan results led to the withdrawal.
