Emma Raducanu’s promising momentum has been halted once again due to a sprained ligament in her left foot. The British tennis star announced her withdrawal from the WTA 1000 in Beijing on Monday, citing the injury sustained during her second-round match at the Hana Bank Korea Open in Seoul.
Raducanu had taken a medical timeout during her victory in Seoul but was forced to retire after losing the first set of her quarterfinal against Daria Kasatkina. The injury has also prevented her from competing in the China Open, where she was scheduled to face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the second round.
The 2021 US Open champion expressed disappointment over her withdrawal, stating, “I hope to be back as soon as I can.” Raducanu had previously emphasized her excitement for the Asian swing, where she feels at home.
“I stacked the year on the backend heavy, because I’m excited. I thrive in Asia. It’s where I truly feel like home,” she said. “I’m looking forward to going out there and trying to take it.”
Raducanu’s withdrawal marks the fourth Top 10 player to pull out of the Beijing tournament due to injury. Former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina has also withdrawn due to a back problem that ended her US Open prematurely. Rybakina will miss the entire Asian swing but hopes to return for the season-ending WTA Finals.
“Due to an ongoing back injury, I regretfully have to withdraw from the upcoming Asian tournaments,” Rybakina said. “While I’ve been working hard on my recovery, my medical team and I have decided it’s best to prioritize my health at this time.”
Raducanu’s injury is a setback in her quest to improve her ranking. She had moved up 16 spots to No. 54 in this week’s rankings after her performance in Seoul. The British star will now focus on recovering and returning to competition as soon as possible.
