Emma Raducanu Withdraws From Her First Tournament Of 2025 Season
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The 2025 season didn't start well for Emma Raducanu, as she started it with yet another withdrawal.
The British player aimed for a successful 2025 season, and she's done everything in her preparation to achieve that goal. Raducanu flew early to Australia before moving to New Zealand, where she was supposed to compete in her first tournament of the year.
Raducanu signed up to play at the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, which is a tournament she played twice before. In 2023, the former US Open winner started her season at the WTA 250 event, retiring from her second match against Viktoria Hruncakova.
In 2024, she also made it to the second round but lost to Elina Svitolina. In 2025, Raducanu was set to compete in Auckland again, but an injury stopped her from playing.
The 22-year-old player was seeded sixth at the event, and in the first round, her opponent was supposed to be Robin Montgomery from the United States. However, that match now won't happen, after Raducanu announced her withdrawal due to a back issue.
"Tried my best to be ready. I love Auckland and the fans here but unfortunately picked up a back niggle and won’t be ready in time."
While Raducanu's fans will certainly be disappointed by this withdrawal, there will be at least one person who will be happy about it. Mai Hontama will now make it to the main draw as a lucky loser.
Raducanu, on the other hand, plans to travel to Melbourne, where she will start preparing early for the Australian Open. With a physical setback, it will be a race against the time for the former WTA World No. 10 player.
The Australian Open starts on January 12th, and it seems that Raducanu was well aware of her physical issue already prior to the start of the ASB Classic.
Speaking ahead of the WTA 250 tournament, the British player was very cautious in her statements, naming playing a match healthy as her goal, which might have seemed weird but makes a lot more sense now.
"My hopes and expectations, I'm not, you know, setting myself or making any excuses. I just am being realistic. But, for me, being healthy, getting a match here and a couple matches, see how far I can go. And yeah, push really and build for the Australian Open. I have great feelings and great ties to New Zealand, it's a special place."
Raducanu will really want to forget this setback and get ready for the first Grand Slam of the season, at which she won't be seeded since she's ranked 56th in the world at the moment.
