Emma Raducanu has just suffered an unexpected setback as the 21-year-old Briton is withdrawing from Miami due to a lower back injury.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, was scheduled to make her third Miami appearance this year after being given a main draw wildcard into the tournament. On Sunday, Raducanu appeared in the Miami main draw and drew Wang Xiyu in her opening match.
But on Monday – just a day before the start of the main action in Miami – Raducanu pulled out of Miami and this is her first tournament withdrawal since launching her post-pregnancy comeback at the start of this season.
Emma Raducanu© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
Before coming to Miami, Raducanu played in Indian Wells, where she won her first two matches before Aryna Sabalenka ended her run in the third round. In Indian Wells, Raducanu looked great on the court and there were no signs that the 21-year-old was injured or anything like that.
After Raducanu’s solid Indian Wells run, the hope was that the former world No. 10 could also do well in Miami and complete the Sunshine Double on a very positive note. But unfortunately, Raducanu’s Miami run ended before it even started.
Raducanu didn’t sustain any injuries very early in her comeback
For nearly two full years, Raducanu was struggling with injuries to both wrists and she was also hampered by a right ankle injury for quite some time before deciding to surgically address all of her three injuries last May.
When Raducanu’s comeback was starting in the first week of 2024 in Auckland, many were wondering how her body would hold up. But after taking part in a couple of tournaments, Raducanu didn’t sustain any injuries and she was very open about how thrilled she was to finally be pain-free in two years.
Emma Raducanu© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
“Staying healthy is the big goal for this year. Injury-wise, sickness-wise. Also, another goal is just consistency,” Raducanu said last month.
Now that Raducanu is out of Miami, the next on her schedule is the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers weekend as she signed up to represent Great Britain when they meet France between April 12-13.
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