Emma Raducanu’s big injury concern after Bianca Andreescu defeat

WTA Tour

Kevin Palmer
March 22, 2023

Emma Raducanu’s first round defeat at the Miami Open against Bianca Andreescu threw up plenty of unwanted questions for the young Brit.

While Raducanu showed plenty of fighting qualities as she came from a set down and appeared to be in the driving seat before a third set collapse, there were worrying signs for the former US Open champion.

Constantly shaking the wrist that has given her so much concern over the last year, it was clear that she was in pain at times during her 6-3 3-6 6-2 defeat.

She appeared to be grimacing at times and in the opinion of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong, Raducanu’s performance was ‘pretty flat’.

So it was no surprise that Raducanu was forced to concede her wrist problem is now a major concern, as she faces up to another potential injury lay-off.

“It’s something I have been managing for some time. I just need to review after this tournament really and figure out what my next steps are,” she told reporters.

“We have been managing it, keeping on top of it. I’m able to play in the short-term, but the current solutions aren’t very viable long-term.

“I think that I’m doing the right things day to day, which brings me confidence. This year has been difficult in the sense that I have been managing a few existing injuries.

“That has been annoying and frustrating because I’ve been working as best as I can. But I feel like I’m enjoying the competition.”

Raducanu also clarified why she will not play for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup next month, even though she will play in an event backed by one of her sponsors Porsche the following week.

“Because of my existing injuries, the best medical advice was to not switch surfaces at such short notice. So that’s what I’ve been told,” she added.

Meanwhile, Andreescu has offered to speak with Raducanu and offer her advice as she tries to back up her first Grand Slam win.

Andreescu has had a similar career path to Raducanu after winning the US Open in 2019 and struggled to back that performance up as the spotlight shone on her.

When asked whether she has spent time with her beaten rival, with whom she shares a Romanian heritage, she was open to the idea.

“No. But I would honestly really, really like to speak to her because of that, because of our similarities,” said Andreescu.

“She’s also Romanian. She was born in Toronto, which is super, super crazy. Definitely I would love to speak to her, for sure. Maybe we can help each other out.

“I think she’s playing great tennis. Honestly, it’s super nice to see that because she hasn’t been playing that much.

“I’m really happy that she’s back at it and playing like this. If she continues playing like this, she can definitely get back into the top 10.”

It remains to be seen if Raducanu’s writs problem will allow her to play in Stuttgart next month, with her sponsors keen to see one of their star names in action in a tournament they sponsor.

The concern for Raducanu must be that the lucrative sponsorship deals she signed after her US Open win in 2021 will soon start to lose their sparkle.

And unless she finds a way to solve the injury problems that continue to undermine her ambitions, her hopes of climbing back to the top of the game have been forlorn.

Emma Raducanu