Emma Raducanu cuts practice short & postpones press conference as Wimbledon withdrawal fears grow
Concerns that Emma Raducanu could withdraw from the 2026 Wimbledon Championships have grown after she cut short a practice session.
Raducanu‘s participation at Wimbledon already appeared far from certain after she was seen wearing a protective boot on her right foot, although her team insisted she was “absolutely fine.”
The British star did not practise at the All England Club for several days, but she returned to the court on Saturday for a practice session with world No 20 Anna Kalinskaya.
The 2021 US Open champion appeared with her right ankle and lower calf area strapped in protective tape, and she reportedly ended the session around 10 minutes earlier than expected after losing four games in a row.
Raducanu was then due to attend her Wimbledon pre-tournament press conference on Saturday afternoon, but it has since been rescheduled to Sunday.
The world No 32 has not played since her defeat to Donna Vekic in the final at the Queen’s Club Championships on 14 June.
She earned straight-set wins against Anna Blinkova, Sorana Cirstea, Kamilla Rakhimova and Iva Jovic to progress to the final at the grass-court WTA 500 event.
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Following her impressive run at Queen’s, Raducanu pulled out of the WTA 250 tournament in Nottingham the next week.
Staying healthy has been a consistent problem for Raducanu throughout her career to date.
Raducanu did not play for over two months after Indian Wells this year due to a post-viral illness, having contracted a virus during the Middle East swing in February.
The former world No 10 ended her 2025 season early in mid-October having dealt with physical issues at tournaments in China. Her preparations for the 2026 campaign were then disrupted by a bone injury in her foot that restricted her ability to train.
In May 2023, Raducanu underwent surgeries on both her wrists and her ankle, which ruled her out for the remainder of the year.
Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon draw
Raducanu is seeded 30th at Wimbledon, and she has been drawn against 60th-ranked Antonia Ruzic in the opening round.
She could then face Jelena Ostapenko or Harriet Dart in the second round, while world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is her projected third round opponent.
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