3 hours ago
8
Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon because of the right-foot injury that she has struggled with in the build up to the Championships.
Raducanu, who was seeded 30th, had been scheduled to face Antonia Ruzic at 1pm on Monday on No 1 Court. In a statement, Raducanu said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon.
“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.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process. I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement. Especially at a time like this, it is invaluable. I look forward to seeing you when I’m back.”
Earlier on Sunday, Raducanu had said in her pre-tournament press conference that she was doing everything possible to be ready to play. This is another extremely painful moment for the 23-year-old, who has struggled with physical issues throughout the season.
Raducanu could not train properly for most of the off season because of another foot injury, then she struggled with a virus for much of February. She was then sidelined for two months between March and May with post-viral illness. She said she has been dealing with this issue since the end of the clay‑court season but after her run to the final of the Queen’s Club tournament at the beginning of the grass-court season, the injury worsened.
Her excellent run at the Queen’s Club appeared to have set her up perfectly for Wimbledon. Instead, she has yet another injury. The British No 1 has had to deal with so many injuries in her short career, and that frustration spilled out after her first-round defeat in May at the French Open, where she fought back tears after being asked during her press conference about the mental toll of having to navigate so many injuries.
At Wimbledon, before her withdrawal, Raducanu tried to remain positive. “It’s been tricky,” she said. “I had a great week at Queen’s Club. All I want to do is to keep building on that momentum. I’ve had a tough start to the season, a lot of time out. Hearing and feeling this is difficult. I have great people around me – that’s one thing that’s really been helping in this latest setback. Having their support, they’re really in it with me. It means a lot to have that.”
After taking Thursday and Friday off from training, things did not look great for Raducanu on Saturday when she ended a planned two‑hour practice with Anna Kalinskaya early after struggling to fully load on to her heavily taped right foot. She returned to the courts at Aorangi Park on Sunday and looked far more upbeat working through a one-hour practice with her hitting partner Alexis Canter. However, the session did not involve much movement or any points play.
after newsletter promotion
“It’s difficult waking up each day, not knowing how it’s going to be,” Raducanu said. “Not knowing whether you’re in or out causes a lot of uncertainty. All I can do is my best every day. That’s what I’m doing, whether that’s the treatments, whether that’s the practice.
“I know I’m putting everything I possibly can into each day. With the people around me, they’re pushing me in the right way. Keeping morale and spirits high is important as well. Even if you’re going through a difficult time, I think allowing yourself to have moments of joy when they do come through is important.”
This is the second time in the past five years that Raducanu has been unable to compete at Wimbledon. She was forced to withdraw from the tournament in 2023 during her eight-month injury layoff after undergoing surgery on both wrists and her ankle.
