Emma Raducanu shares worrying update as fans worry she might miss Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu has shared an update that’s a bit worrying, addressing concerns she might have to pull out of Wimbledon because of an injury.
In less than a day, the most exciting tennis tournament of the year will officially start in southwest London, with the biggest stars arriving in Wimbledon.
With Carlos Alcaraz out due to a serious wrist injury, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is the favorite in the men’s draw, while Aryna Sabalenka is the one to watch in the women’s.
Britain’s top hope is Cameron Norrie, who opens against Michael Zheng. In the women’s draw, Raducanu is seen as the best chance for a strong run.
But just before Raducanu’s first match against Croatia’s Antonia Ružić, worries have come up that the British No. 1 might have to pull out because of an ongoing injury.
These concerns started after Raducanu had to stop a training session early last Saturday, and reports said she’d been wearing a protective boot earlier in the week. During training on Sunday, her right ankle was strapped up, which made it seem like her injury might stop her from playing.
Before her match, Raducanu spoke to the media and confirmed she’s dealing with a leg injury. Still, she plans to play her first-round match at Wimbledon, even though the doctors have warned her.
“There are some tournaments where you’re willing to push yourself more, take bigger risks,” Raducanu said. “For me, Wimbledon is definitely one of those. No doctor can promise I won’t make it worse. I just have to be careful and decide if I’m willing to take that risk.”
Her match against Ružić, who is ranked 61st, is set to start at 1:00 pm BST on Wimbledon’s Court One.
Of course, fans might be worried that playing with this injury could make things worse and keep her off the court for longer. Raducanu shared a bit more about her injury ahead of the match.
She said, “I’ve had this lower-leg niggle since before Queen’s, actually from the end of the clay season. Yesterday, I played for an hour before playing with Anna [Kalinskaya, world No. 24]. I took a few days off and didn’t practice on Saturday because I was feeling a bit cautious. Today I felt better on court, which is a good sign.”
Injuries have been a big challenge for Raducanu since her amazing win at the 2021 US Open. Missing part or all of Wimbledon this year would be a tough setback, and she knows it.
“It’s hard waking up not knowing how I’ll feel,” she said about the injury. “Not knowing if I’ll be playing or not creates a lot of uncertainty. All I can do is my best every day—whether that’s treatments or practice. The people around me are supporting me the right way. Staying positive is really important. Even when things are tough, letting yourself enjoy moments of happiness helps a lot.”