It’s been a troublesome 2026 thus far for Emma Raducanu. The British tennis star has fought injuries, disappointing performances and forced withdrawals from events throughout the year. Her US Open triumph in 2021 was followed by several years of underwhelming showings, leaving fans and pundits alike contemplating whether she’d ever reach the heights of her Flushing Meadows triumph.
Improved consistency was a theme of Raducanu’s 2025 as she returned to the top 30 in the WTA rankings and reached the third round of three of the four Grand Slams. However, familiar issues have crept up on the 23-year-old this year, which have already impacted her. Meanwhile, the Canadian Open has been dealt another blow with the withdrawal of one star.
Raducanu drops down
Raducanu has not yet gone past the second round in a Grand Slam this year, having suffered a second-round defeat in the Australian Open and then a first-round elimination at the French Open. The Brit then withdrew from Wimbledon this summer after developing a stress fracture in her right leg.
At the time, she said: “I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line, but after a final scan tonight the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture. I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.” The injury has continued to rule her out of action and prompted her not to enter the Washington Open.
Due to her absence, she’s dropped 12 places to No. 49 in the WTA rankings. A further drop in the rankings could soon occur for Raducanu, who is expected to miss out on the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Superstar withdrawal
Fans hoping to see the likes of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic at the Canadian Open have been devastated after the pair pulled out of the Masters 1000 event. Tennis’ growing schedule in recent years has meant withdrawals from top tournaments has become more common.
Carlos Alcaraz will also be out of action as the six-time Grand Slam champion continues his recovery from a wrist injury. The Canadian Open tournament director Valerie Tetreault insisted that the sport’s schedule must be changed to stop fans missing out on watching the best tennis has to offer.
“We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won’t be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year’s tournament in Toronto. We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players’ health must remain the priority.
“That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport. Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world’s best compete. We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter received serious consideration.”