- Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has suffered another injury blow
- His latest setback comes less than two weeks before the Australian Open begins.
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the ACB Classic in Auckland due to a back injury, derailing her preparation for the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old will fly to Melbourne and still hopes to compete in the first Grand Slam of the season, but will arrive without match practice.
“I did my best to be ready,” Raducanu said. “I love Auckland and the fans here, but unfortunately I had a back problem and won't be ready in time.”
It's yet another injury for a player who has had more than her share and an unfortunate start to Raducanu's partnership with fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura.
Last year he played just 14 events (fewer than all but two of the players in the top 100), and he has vowed to be on the court more often in 2025.
Speaking in early December, Raducanu said she is determined to give physical problems adequate time to heal, rather than “turn off any problem.” His withdrawal from Auckland could be a good example.
Emma Raducanu withdraws from the ACB Classic in Auckland due to a back injury
It is a hard blow for the 22-year-old with the Australian Open just around the corner
Raducanu still has hopes of playing in Melbourne, but his preparations have been hampered.
When asked why he thinks he has battled injuries so far in his career, Raducanu said: “Part of the burden: this tournament is happening and I really want to play it, but I haven't trained enough and literally in the the first game something starts to hurt.
“I got into that vicious cycle and it's pretty dangerous to be in. So I think about making certain decisions about loading and making sure I've had proper preparation and training.” Let my body be prepared, instead of just shutting down any problem.
Raducanu and his team hope that by taking the cautious approach of clearing his nomination in Auckland, he will be in top form for the Australian Open. But in what looks like a potentially crucial season for the 2021 US Open champion, it is far from an ideal start.