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Emma Raducanu announcement leaves tennis fans gutted amid brutal year

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·5-min read
Emma Raducanu, pictured here in action against Jelena Ostapenko at the Korea Open.
Emma Raducanu in action against Jelena Ostapenko at the Korea Open. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Emma Raducanu's 2022 season is reportedly over after organisers announced her withdrawal from the upcoming Transylvania Open with a wrist injury.

The British teenager became an overnight sensation when she won the US Open in 2021, becoming the first qualifier in tennis history to win a grand slam.

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However 2022 hasn't been as kind on the 19-year-old, with a number of injuries and retirements blighting her season.

She has plummeted down to World No.67 in the rankings after a loss in the first round at the US Open - and she will continue to slide on the back of her latest withdrawal.

Raducanu, who lost to Daria Kasatkina in the first round of the WTA 500 event in Ostrava this week, was due back on court at the Transylvania Open next week.

The British No.1, whose father is Romanian, won her first WTA Tour matches in Cluj-Napoca last year when she reached the quarter-finals at the event.

But a message on the tournament’s Twitter feed read on Thursday: “Sadly, Emma Raducanu is forced to withdraw from Transylvania Open due to a wrist injury.

"Get well fast, Emma! We’re looking forward to see you soon.”

According to the PA news agency, the injury will also keep Raducanu out of what was scheduled to be her last WTA event of the season in Guadalajara later this month.

Simon Briggs of The Telegraph has since reported that Raducanu's management have confirmed she will not play any more matches at WTA level this year.

Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong will be holding out hope that Raducanu will be available for the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Glasgow early next month.

But Raducanu's team might decide to rest the young star for the remainder of the year and come back fresh and firing for the Australian Open in January.

Emma Raducanu, pictured here in action against Daria Kasatkina at the Ostrava Open.
Emma Raducanu in action against Daria Kasatkina at the Ostrava Open. (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)

Tennis world reacts to news about Emma Raducanu

Raducanu was also forced to retire hurt during the semi-finals of last month's Korea Open with a glute problem.

That followed a first-round retirement at the Nottingham Open in the lead-up to Wimbledon, though Raducanu ultimately recovered to reach the second round of the grass-court major.

While Raducanu did have her wrist strapped at the US Open and appeared to complain about the area during a practice session, it hasn't previously been a problem this year.

After being struck down by Covid at the start of the year, Raducanu was then plagued by blisters at the Australian Open.

She then made the first of four mid-match retirements this year while playing Daria Gavrilova in Mexico in February due to a hip issue.

She retired again at the Rome Masters in May, this time with a back problem.

The 19-year-old had more blisters at the US Open in September and received treatment on her left thigh in Slovenia last month.

Raducanu has won 16 matches this year and lost 18, a significant turnaround after a 12-5 record last year.

Fans took to social media to express their sadness that her season appears over.

with agencies

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