Emma Raducanu’s retirement plan and heartbreaking Wimbledon admission | Tennis | Sport

Emma Raducanu has been at the centre of attention over the past week. There was growing excitement around the British No.1’s participation at Wimbledon and whether she could surpass her third-round run from last year.

But there was also unease over Raducanu’s fitness in recent days following her decision to miss training on Thursday and Friday. She had been dealing with a right lower leg injury since her run to the Queen’s final earlier in June. Raducanu returned to court on Saturday but was forced to cut her session with Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya at Wimbledon short by 10 minutes. The 2021 US Open champion then confirmed her decision on Sunday night to withdraw from SW19, having sustained a stress fracture and been advised against competing. The announcement came just seven hours after she told journalists she intended to play. Now, following that devastating blow, Express Sport takes a closer look at Raducanu’s latest predicament.

Wimbledon statement

The 30th seed took to social media on Sunday evening to confirm she would not be taking part in this year’s Wimbledon. She wrote: “Hi everyone. 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.”

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The official Wimbledon account responded to the news with a post on X, saying: “We’re so sorry to hear your news, @EmmaRaducanu – get better soon.”

Latest retirement plans

The news will inevitably reignite discussion about her long-term future. Raducanu recently admitted she may have less than 10 years remaining at the top level of the sport, despite having only just turned 23. The Brit etched her name into tennis history with her extraordinary victory at the 2021 US Open, claiming the title at just 18 years old as a mere qualifier. Her career since has been an emotional rollercoaster, marked by bitter disappointments and a relentless string of injuries. The latter has been her biggest obstacle, having endured one setback after another.

Her response proved particularly revealing when asked about where she envisaged herself in a decade’s time, strongly hinting that she already has aspirations beyond the court. Raducanu said: “I’ll probably be retiring and hopefully proud of the career I’ve had in tennis, but also extremely excited for another career.

“I know tennis is one chapter of my life, and it’s such a huge part of my current identity, but I have a lot more than just tennis ahead of me. I can’t wait to delve into another chapter, and to think that my life really starts in my thirties is exciting, even though I will have had a whole tennis career by then.”

She had previously stated she couldn’t picture herself competing into her 40s like Serena Williams. Raducanu has also hinted at her post-tennis ambitions, suggesting she may pursue a career in banking. Raducanu claims she would be working in finance if she hadn’t become a professional player.

Heartbreaking admission

This year is not the first time Raducanu has been forced to sit out the action at SW19 through injury. She withdrew from her fourth-round singles match in 2021, bringing her debut appearance at the tournament to a premature end after experiencing breathing difficulties and dizziness mid-match against Ajla Tomljanovic.

In 2023, Raducanu was forced to sit out the entire grass-court season after enduring months of chronic pain. She underwent three surgical procedures in May 2023 to remove bone spurs and tackle persistent injuries to both wrists and her left ankle, keeping her off the court for eight months. She later spoke openly about the psychological impact during her 2024 pre-championship press conference.

Raducanu said: “It was really hard walking through the player tunnel and seeing your peers going to practice and playing their matches. It really stung and it wasn’t nice. I didn’t really watch any of the tennis either.”

She now faces a similarly heartbreaking ordeal as she works her way back from her latest setback, particularly given the short time she has to come to terms with missing Wimbledon for the second time in four years.