Emma Raducanu cut short her practice session at Wimbledon before cancelling a scheduled press conference as concerns about her fitness deepened. The British number one has been at the centre of another injury scare since she was reportedly seen wearing a protective boot on Wednesday evening. Raducanu did not train at Wimbledon on Thursday or Friday but was down for two hours of hitting on Saturday, first at the All England Club’s Aorangi Park practice courts and then on Court Three with Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya.
Raducanu took to the court with strapping on her right ankle and lower leg but made it through the first hour and a half without any alarms. However, she was largely hitting from the same position and it was when she began playing points against Kalinskaya that things took a worrying turn. Raducanu struggled on serve and was 4-0 down against the world number 20, while her body language in discussions with coach Andrew Richardson indicated she was far from content. Midway through the next
game, Raducanu abruptly called an end to the session 10 minutes before it was due to finish and hugged Kalinskaya before quickly leaving the court. Raducanu had been due to speak at a press conference on Saturday afternoon but 20 minutes after walking off court it was announced she would be speaking on Sunday instead. There must be serious doubt now whether the 23-year-old will even make it onto court for her scheduled first-round match against Croatian Antonia Ruzic at 1pm on Monday. Should she
have to pull out, it would be the latest setback in another stop-start season, with Raducanu having missed two-and-a-half months due to a post-viral illness during the spring. Things appeared to have taken a positive turn when, after rehiring Richardson, with whom she won the US Open, as coach, she reached the final at Queen’s Club two weeks ago. But Raducanu has not played a match since and the story once again centres on her physical fragility. Katie Boulter, who played doubles with Raducanu at
Queen’s, can empathise with her countrywoman having battled numerous injury problems herself. “It’s awful to see,” said Boulter. “I can relate to her in many, many ways. I completely trust her and her team will make the right decision no matter what. “I think that’s something that she’s always been really good at. I think, in the moment, she will know what’s best for her. “Obviously, I don’t want to ever see a British player come out of their home slam. I’ve been there, done
that, don’t want to see it. It’s not a nice feeling for anyone. “I hope she’s absolutely fine. I really do. And if she’s not, she’s going to be here another 10 years, so she’s going to have every single year to play. I’m always right behind Emma.”
Emma Raducanu, Wimbledon, Antonia Ruzic, Anna Kalinskaya, Andrew Richardson, Katie Boulter, British No.1, injury scare