Emma Raducanu’s biggest problem continues to haunt her and she needs to find an answer quickly

Kevin Palmer 19 Mar 2026 9:00 AM

Pictured: Emma Raducanu introduced as new Uniqlo ambassador

Raducanu introduced as new Uniqlo ambassador on social media

Emma Raducanu’s hopes of building some momentum after a stuttering start to the season were shattered as she was forced to pull out of the Miami Open due to illness, with doubts over what comes next for the British No 1 rising once again.

Raducanu reached the quarter-finals in Miami last year and she would have been defending a hefty amount of ranking points in the second leg of the Sunshine Double.

Yet news that Raducanu has been ruled out of another tournament due to a physical issue is no longer a surprise, as she appears to have been struggling with her health for several months.

The 2021 US Open champion struggled with the heat in events in Asia last October and there was a suggestion that she was struggling with a chest infection last month.

She suggested he was ‘feeling better’ before losing 6-1, 6-1 against Amanda Amisiova in the WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, but she would have been hopeful that conditions in Madrid would have suited her after last year’s run to the last eight.

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News that Raducanu will not even play a single match in Miami will raise fresh questions over her health and physical conditioning, with this latest setback adding to several issues she has suffered over the last six months.

Tennis365 spoke to Sky Sports presenter Gigi Salmon, as she suggested Raducanu’s health problems are as big a concern as her battles to take her game to the next level on the court.

“They said that she had a chest infection and I was working on the next two tournaments when she retired and then lost in the Middle East,” Salmon told Tennis365.

“I was wondering if it was the hangover from the chest infection. You are probably told not to play and to rest, but you want to play and try and put it behind you and chase the ranking points.

“Is there an element of stress in there for Emma? I’ve asked a few ex-players to try and get my head around what it is. If it continues to happen, I will fall one way or the other.

“If she can find some stability, and I know we have spoken about this for a long time now, then she has a chance to have a great year.”

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Raducanu’s next tournament is due to be a WTA 500 event in Linz next month, but she needs to find a solution to her ongoing health issues before she has any chance to succeed at the highest level of the sport.