Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon after suffering a stress fracture in her lower right leg.
The British 30th seed, who was scheduled to begin her campaign against Antonia Ruzic of Croatia on Monday, announced the news on Sunday evening, just hours after a press briefing in which she admitted she was struggling with a “niggle” but said she hoped to play.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon,” Raducanu said in a statement.
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process. I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement. Especially at a time like this, it is invaluable. I look forward to seeing you when I’m back.”
The latest addition to the 23-year-old’s unhappy history of injury setbacks follows several days of speculation about her fitness.
How a stress fracture cost Emma Raducanu her latest tilt at Wimbledon
On Wednesday evening, Raducanu was seen leaving the All England Club grounds with a protective boot on her right foot.
She was not seen again until Saturday afternoon, when she appeared to be moving gingerly during a session with her team on the Aorangi Park practice courts. Raducanu, who wore strapping on her lower right leg, subsequently cut short a practice set with Anna Kalinskya, the 19th seed, before moving her scheduled pre-tournament press conference to the following day.
The former US Open champion completed a session with her hitting partner Alexis Canter at Aorangi Park on Sunday, but appeared to be limiting her movement to avoid putting any stress through her right leg.
The frustration of having to withdraw from the tournament will be all the greater for Raducanu after her encouraging showing at Queens Club earlier this month, where she reached her first final since winning the US Open in 2021.
Having struggled with a foot injury during the off-season before suffering with a viral illness and its after-effects for several months, her performances in west London suggested she was finally beginning to establish the momentum that has largely eluded her since that fairytale run in New York. But she now faces yet another spell on the sidelines.
Emma Raducanu: ‘I’ve had a tough start to the season’
“I had a great week at Queen’s Club,” Raducanu reflected earlier on Sunday. “All I want to do is to keep building on that momentum. I’ve had a tough start to the season, a lot of time out.
“I have great people around me, that’s one thing that’s really been helping in this latest setback. Having their support, they’re really in it with me. It means a lot to have that.”
She will need that support more than ever in the weeks ahead.