Emma Raducanu will miss this year’s US Open as she continues to recover from a stress fracture in her lower right leg. The British No. 1 made history in Flushing Meadows five years ago when she lifted the trophy as a qualifier, aged just 18 and playing only her fourth tour-level event.
It is understood that Raducanu needs more time for the stress fracture to heal, following consultations with her medical team. The world No. 49 is said to be sad to miss a tournament so special to her.
Raducanu recently shared some videos and photos of herself wearing a protective boot on a tennis court. In one clip, she is seen sitting on a bin while hitting balls, with the boot covering her lower right leg. “not in the bin but on the bin,” she wrote in the caption.
In another video from a recent trip to Switzerland, the Brit showed some progress as she returned to serving while standing up, but she still wore the boot while hitting on a clay court.
The US Open runs until September 13. By then, former champion Raducanu will have spent three months away from competition.
The 23-year-old’s season has been wrecked by injuries and illness. Her pre-season preparations were disrupted by bone bruising in her foot, and she missed more than two months of action from March to May due to post-viral illness.
When announcing her withdrawal from Wimbledon in late June, the British No. 1 said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon. 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.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process. 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.”