Emma Raducanu breaks down in tears in shock drama at US Open

Emma Raducanu has sent a scare through tennis fans just two days out from the US Open after breaking down in tears at a practice session in New York.

The British teenager was consoled by coach Dmitry Tursunov during Friday's practice session after she appeared to tearfully complain about a problem with her right hand.

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The 19-year-old twice stopped her practice session and later appeared with tape on her right wrist, breaking down in tears at one stage.

However in a positive twist, Raducanu managed to complete the two-hour session before telling reporters there was nothing to worry about.

“I had a few small things, got a couple of blisters, a bit of a niggle here and there. It’s just one of those weird days where you just feel a bit out of it," she said.

“I can’t really explain myself, to be honest. I’m sure everyone in this room has probably had a day like that. I have no concerns of an issue, no.”

Raducanu has battled through a number of injury issues this year in the wake of her extraordinary triumph at the US Open in 2021.

The teenager made tennis history after becoming the first qualifier in the Open era to win a grand slam singles title.

The 11th seed, who opens the defence of her title on Tuesday against French veteran Alize Cornet, said she felt no additional pressure as reigning champion.

"I think you guys are thinking probably more about pressure and ranking than me," she told reporters.

"I think defending a title is just something that the press makes up. I'm just taking it one match at a time.

"Like, every single player is very capable in this draw. I just focus on what I'm doing, my own trajectory. As I said last year, I'm just going to do things my way."

Serena Williams appears emotional at practice session

There were similar scenes involving Serena Williams on Thursday when the 40-year-old American appeared to get emotional after her finishing her practice session abruptly.

Williams will bid farewell to tennis at the US Open after announcing earlier this month that she's walking away from the sport.

There were concerning scenes on Thursday when the 23-time grand slam champion appeared emotional while sitting at her court-side seat after a practice session at Flushing Meadows.

Williams had her head in a towel and looked downtrodden while being spoken to by her coach and advisor Rennae Stubbs.

Williams will face Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in her first round match at the US Open on Monday.

The 23-time grand slam champion is in the same quarter of the draw as second seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia.

The 40-year-old veteran, whose first grand slam title came at the US Open in 1999, would meet Kontaveit in the second round if both win their opening matches at the year's final grand slam event.

The USTA announced later on Thursday that all women's matches in Williams' half of the draw will be scheduled for Monday.

Williams, who is one title shy of the all-time record of 24 grand slam crowns won by Margaret Court, could have quite a path to the final if she can make a shock run on the Flushing Meadows hard-courts.

She could face Canada's 14th-seeded Leylah Fernandez, a 19-year-old who was last year's US Open runner-up, in the fourth round and Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, this year's Wimbledon runner-up, in the quarter-finals.

with agencies

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