Raducanu’s shortened practice session
Emma Raducanu, the British No 1, cut short a practice session at the All England Club, raising further concerns about her fitness ahead of Wimbledon. This occurred two days before her scheduled opening match. Raducanu had not trained for the preceding two days after being seen in a medical boot on her right foot.
She returned to practice on Saturday afternoon, wearing heavy tape on her right ankle and lower leg. Raducanu warmed up with Anna Kalinskaya on the Aorangi Park practice courts before moving to Court 3 to begin a practice set. Her mood reportedly shifted as she struggled to push off her right ankle while striking the ball.
During the practice set, with the score at 0-4, 0-15, Raducanu netted a backhand while off-balance. She then indicated to Kalinskaya that she could no longer continue. After embracing Kalinskaya at the net, Raducanu and her coaching team left the court with 15 minutes of the session remaining. Kalinskaya and her team completed their court time with feeding drills.
Ongoing injury concerns
Raducanu has been managing a right foot injury since her run to the final at Queen’s Club. This latest physical issue is part of a series of setbacks for the player. She was sidelined for much of the off-season due to a foot injury and struggled with a virus in February. A post-viral illness then kept her off the court for two months between March and May.
The 23-year-old was forced to withdraw from the championships in 2023 following surgery on both wrists and an ankle. She also experienced back pain in the lead-up to Wimbledon 2024. The former US Open champion was managing back pain in the buildup to Wimbledon last year as well.
Raducanu began the grass-court season seeking her first win in three years. She appeared to have found form after playing some of her best tennis to reach the final at Queen’s Club. However, she has not played a match since that final, and her current situation again highlights concerns about her physical condition.
Impact on Wimbledon appearance
Raducanu’s pre-tournament media duties, initially scheduled for Saturday afternoon, were rescheduled for Sunday following her practice session. She is the 30th seed at Wimbledon and is scheduled to face Antonia Ruzic, who is ranked No 60 in the world. Her first-round match is scheduled for 1pm on Monday.
There is now serious doubt whether Raducanu will be able to compete in her scheduled first-round match. Should she need to withdraw, it would mark another setback in what has been described as a stop-start season for the player. The focus for Raducanu is once again on maintaining her physical health rather than solely on improving her game.
This season has been another stop-start one for the former US Open champion, who missed two and a half months with a post-viral illness after falling unwell in February. She played only two matches on clay, but her performance at Queen’s Club, where she reunited with coach Andrew Richardson, seemed to indicate a positive turn. However, the physical demands of that run, which included playing two matches in a single day due to rain, could now affect her prospects at Wimbledon, which commences on Monday.
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Source: theguardian.com
