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Raducanu Withdraws from Wimbledon with Stress Fracture

BBC Sport •
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Emma Raducanu will miss Wimbledon after withdrawing on the eve of the Championships due to a stress fracture in her lower right leg. The 23-year-old British number one made the decision late Sunday night, just hours after telling reporters she intended to compete. Raducanu, seeded 30th, was scheduled to face Croatia's Antonia Ruzic on Court One in her opening match.

Concerns about Raducanu's fitness emerged during the week when she was seen wearing a protective boot on Wednesday. Training sessions on Thursday and Friday were cancelled due to what appeared to be a shin injury. She returned to practice on Saturday with strapping around her right leg, but abandoned a session with Anna Kalinskaya early. Despite showing slight improvement in Sunday's practice, medical scans confirmed the stress fracture.

The withdrawal deals a significant blow to British tennis at SW19. Raducanu's absence leaves a gap in the women's draw and disappoints home fans hoping to see their US Open champion in action. Her fitness issues continue a pattern that has hampered her progress since that breakthrough 2021 victory, raising questions about her ability to compete consistently at the highest level.