Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon just hours before her opening-round match after scans confirmed a stress fracture in her lower right leg.
The British star was scheduled to face Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Court One on Monday but was forced to pull out after a final medical assessment on Sunday night. Raducanu had earlier insisted she intended to compete despite concerns over her fitness.
Late withdrawal after final scan
The 23-year-old revealed she had done everything possible to recover in time for her home Grand Slam before doctors advised her to stop playing.
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line but after a final scan tonight the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture,” Raducanu said.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process.”
The former US Open champion had been managing pain in her lower right leg throughout the week, missing training sessions before returning to the practice courts over the weekend.
Fitness concerns grew before tournament
Raducanu was first seen wearing a protective boot earlier in the week and was unable to train on Thursday and Friday because of what is believed to have been a shin problem.
Although she resumed practice on Saturday and Sunday, she cut short one of her sessions after experiencing discomfort. Despite appearing optimistic in her pre-tournament media appearance, a final scan confirmed the injury had worsened.
The world No. 30 had been seeded for the Championships and was aiming to build on encouraging recent form after reaching the Queen’s Club final earlier this month.
Another injury setback
The withdrawal marks another frustrating chapter in Raducanu’s career, which has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries since her historic US Open triumph in 2021.
A foot injury ended her 2025 season early, while illness also disrupted her preparations earlier this year. Wimbledon represented a major opportunity after promising performances on grass, but another physical setback has forced her to delay her comeback once again.
Raducanu said she will now focus on her recovery with the support of her team and hopes to return to competition once fully fit.
Discussion about this post