Emma Raducanu withdraws from Wimbledon due to injury

Emma Raducanu withdrew from Wimbledon due to a right-foot injury she had struggled with leading up to the Championships. Raducanu, who was seeded 30th, was scheduled to face Antonia Ruzic at 1pm on Monday on No 1 Court. In a statement, Raducanu shared, "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, she had mentioned in her pre-tournament press conference that she was doing everything possible to be ready to play. This marked another painful moment for the 23-year-old, who faced various physical challenges throughout the season.

Having endured foot issues that prevented her from training properly during much of the off-season, she also struggled with a virus in February and was sidelined for two months between March and May due to post-viral illness. Raducanu noted that she had been managing the current injury since the end of the clay-court season; however, after her performance in the final of the Queen’s Club tournament at the beginning of the grass-court season, the injury had worsened. Her promising run at Queen’s Club had seemed to set her up perfectly for Wimbledon, but she faced yet another injury setback.

Throughout her short career, the British No 1 has dealt with an array of injuries, and her frustrations were evident after a first-round defeat at the French Open in May, where she fought back tears while discussing the mental toll of her physical challenges. Prior to her withdrawal from Wimbledon, Raducanu attempted to stay positive, stating, "It’s been tricky. 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 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, her situation did not appear promising on Saturday when she ended a planned two-hour practice with Anna Kalinskaya early due to difficulties with her heavily taped right foot. Raducanu returned to the courts at Aorangi Park on Sunday looking more upbeat while practicing with her hitting partner Alexis Canter, although the session did not involve much movement or points play.

"It’s difficult waking up each day, not knowing how it’s going to be," she remarked. "Not knowing whether you’re in or out causes a lot of uncertainty. All I can do is my best every 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 represents the second time in five years that Raducanu has been unable to compete at Wimbledon, having been forced to withdraw from the tournament in 2023 during an eight-month injury layoff following surgeries on both wrists and an ankle.