Emma Raducanu faced a tough setback at Wimbledon after losing in the Queens Final.
After struggling with injuries for years, Emma Raducanu is finally getting back into great shape. But unfortunately, a tough setback at Queens has put her chances for Wimbledon in question.
Emma became an instant star in 2021 when she won the US Open, but since then she’s been trying hard to win another big title. Her fitness troubles started at Wimbledon that year, when she had to retire in the fourth round even though she was playing well. After that, she faced serious wrist and ankle injuries, needing surgery on both hands and her left foot in 2023.
Now, Emma is showing promise again with strong performances at the Transylvania Open and the Queen’s Club Championships. She made it to the finals in both but just missed out on winning a trophy. With Wimbledon coming up soon, though, she got a setback as she had to pull out of the Nottingham Open.
Emma had hoped to be fully fit and ready to improve on her best Wimbledon run—reaching the fourth round on home soil. She looked on track after making it to the Queens final, winning eight sets in a row at the Andy Murray Arena. But during the final, she struggled with thigh pain while playing Donna Vekić. Emma fought hard to come back but lost in a close second-set tiebreak. Vekić’s strong serve frustrated her team, and despite Emma’s effort, she finished second and received a silver plate.
Emma was planning to play in Nottingham right after Queens to stay sharp for Wimbledon, but the thigh injury was too painful to push through. She’s now dropped out of the Nottingham Open to focus on recovery in hopes of being ready for Wimbledon.
There aren’t many details yet on how serious the injury is. Emma also hasn’t decided if she’ll play at the Eastbourne Open, which starts a week before Wimbledon. Right now, she’s ranked 31st in the world and will face a tough challenge to make a strong showing at Wimbledon. But if she can stay healthy, this could be her best shot at a Grand Slam since 2021.
While injuries have been her biggest hurdle, there’s a bit of good news for Emma as the rising star Maja Chwalinska might miss Wimbledon too. The tournament is already shaping up to be exciting, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner returning. Plus, there’s an extra buzz with them teaming up in mixed doubles alongside the Williams sisters—especially with Serena now back in the game.