Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon comeback has ended before it began.
The British player has withdrawn from the tournament just hours before she was due to open her campaign against Antonia Ruzic on Centre Court. A final scan confirmed that the lower-leg issue she had been managing through the grass swing had developed into a stress fracture, forcing her out of the third Grand Slam of the season.
It is a brutal turn for Raducanu, who had been one of the main British stories heading into Wimbledon after reaching her first WTA 500 final at Queen’s Club.
Instead, her home major now starts without her.
Raducanu Confirms Stress Fracture Before Wimbledon Opener
Raducanu announced the withdrawal in a statement, making clear that she had tried to push her recovery as far as possible.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon,” Raducanu wrote. “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.”
The timing makes the blow even sharper.
Raducanu was scheduled to face Ruzic on Centre Court, a stage that would have brought one of the loudest home-crowd moments of the opening round. Instead, a lucky loser will enter the draw in her place.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process,” Raducanu added. “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.”
Queen’s Run Raised Hopes Before the Injury Deepened
The withdrawal is especially painful because Raducanu had just given British fans real reason for optimism.
At Queen’s Club, she reached her first WTA 500 final, beating Sorana Cirstea and Iva Jovic during a strong week on grass. She lost the final to Donna Vekic in straight sets, but the run still felt like one of the clearest signs of progress in her recent career.
Then the concerns returned.
Raducanu withdrew from Nottingham before her opening match, initially raising the possibility that the decision was a precaution before Wimbledon. Two days before her Wimbledon withdrawal, she also cut short a practice session at the All England Club because of discomfort.
By Sunday, the situation had changed completely.
The issue was no longer something to manage through a match. It was something that required her to stop.
Raducanu Had Been Managing the Injury Since Clay
A day before the withdrawal, Raducanu had explained that the problem had been present for weeks.
“I have a lower leg niggle that I’ve been dealing with since before Queen’s, actually from the back end of the clay-court season,” she said.
She also admitted that the Queen’s run had added significant physical load.
“I’ve been managing it, and I’d say recently, after Queen’s, that week was probably a lot for me,” Raducanu said. “Playing five matches after having not competed for a while was a lot. I’m just managing it with my team as best as I possibly can, exhausting all options and doing what we can.”
That context changes the way her grass swing now looks.
Queen’s was encouraging, but it came at a physical cost. Nottingham became a warning sign. Wimbledon has now confirmed the damage.
British Women’s Draw Loses Its Biggest Home Name
Raducanu’s withdrawal leaves a large gap in the women’s draw from a British perspective.
She had reached the fourth round at Wimbledon twice and was defending third-round points this year. She was also the home player most likely to command Centre Court attention in the women’s singles, especially after the level she showed at Queen’s.
Without her, British hopes are thinner. Katie Boulter remains the only British woman in the main draw ranked inside the top 100, with more pressure now falling on her shoulders.
For Raducanu, the immediate concern is not ranking damage or missed points. It is recovery.
The Queen’s run showed that her tennis can still rise quickly when the body allows it. Wimbledon has now delivered the harder reminder: form means little if the body cannot get to the start line.