Tennis

Emma Raducanu injury update: Why isn’t former US Open Champ playing at Wimbledon 2023?

July 3, 2023 12:31 am

The United Kingdom have a strong contingent at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. Cameron Norrie is leading the charge in the men’s event while Katie Boulter is their best hope for silverware in the women’s tournament. Bionic man Andy Murray is also in the mix, so are upstarts, Jodie Burrage and Katie Boulter.

Despite the increased numbers thanks to wild card entries, there is suspicion everyone that Team GB will return empty-handed. Murray has claimed three titles in 2023 but has struggled on the main tour. Norrie reached the semi-finals last time around but has not gone far in tournaments.

It would have been a different feeling had Ema Raducanu been participating. The 20-year-old captured imaginations on the old continent with her triumph at the 2021 US Open. She is THE British hope but is missing the action in her backyard.

Missing Wimbledon after Roland Garros

Raducanu will, unfortunately, be absent from the upcoming Wimbledon tournament due to a series of injuries that have plagued her since her remarkable US Open victory in 2021. These are also the same injuries that saw her miss a major chunk of the clay court swing and the French Open.

The 20-year-old British player revealed that she is set to undergo three surgeries, addressing issues on both of her wrists and left ankle. This has forced her to withdraw from numerous events and plummet outside the top 100 in the WTA rankings. With Harriet Dart giving assured performances on grass, reaching the third round and beyond in each of her three events on grass, she is going to be overtaken by her compatriot.

This regrettable setback means that Raducanu will not be competing in the French Open and Wimbledon, leaving her fans disappointed but hopeful for her eventual return to the court. It is expected that her absence will result in a slip outside the top 150 WTA ranking after Wimbledon, underscoring the challenges she faces in her recovery and return to top form.

Nonetheless, Raducanu remains appreciative of the unwavering support from her fans and looks forward to making a triumphant comeback in the future.

“It is safe to say the last 10 months have been difficult as I dealt with a recurring injury on a bone of both hands,” Raducanu shared a note on Instagram.

“I tried my best to manage the pain and play through it for most of this year and end of last year by reducing practice load dramatically, missing weeks of training as well as cutting last season short to try heal it.

“Unfortunately it’s not enough. I’m having a minor procedure done on both hands to resolve the issues.

“I’m disappointed to share that I will be out for the next few months and while I am at it will have another minor procedure that is due on my ankle.

“It pains me that I will miss the summer events and I tried to downplay the issues so I thank all my fans who continued to support me when you did not know the facts.

“Look forward to seeing you all back out there.”

Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!