Emma Raducanu withdrew from the 2024 China Open in Beijing, further continuing injury struggles that have plagued her throughout her tennis career.
Raducanu last competed at the Korea Open in Seoul, where she played some solid tennis to reach the quarter-finals. The British player mentioned a few days ago that she planned to stay in Asia for an extended period, hoping to play as much as possible.
This is a region where she wants to leave a good impression due to her Asian background and, as a result, having many fans in the region. It's an important stretch of events, particularly in China, as she has Chinese heritage.
Raducanu spent time in the country as a child and has always cherished her experiences there. She is also a fluent Chinese speaker. The next significant event on the calendar is the WTA 1000 tournament, the China Open in Beijing.
One of the Brit's goals was to participate in the China Open, but her participation seemed in doubt due to how the Korea Open ended. The British player retired from her quarter-final match against Daria Kasatkina due to foot issues that had been bothering her in the days prior.
Raducanu received treatment on her foot during previous matches, but it was clearly not enough. The severity of the injury is what most people were concerned about, especially since the last thing the 2021 US Open winner needed was another injury after finally looking to complete a professional season without major setbacks.
The Brit missed most of last year due to triple surgery, and she finally wanted to complete a full season on the WTA Tour. Fans were eagerly awaiting updates on Raducanu’s condition, and now it was confirmed that she will not be playing in Beijing, and her participation in events beyond that remains unclear.
There is another WTA 1000 event in China after Beijing, in Wuhan, so the British player might be ready to compete there, even though if she wants to get to the main draw, she will have to go through the qualifying.
Her foot injury is clearly not minor, as Raducanu was spotted in a foot brace at Incheon Airport, where she took a picture with a fan ahead of what could have been her flight to Beijing.
The future remains very uncertain for Raducanu in the coming weeks, but this is the latest setback in a long list of challenges she has faced this year and in previous seasons.
Raducanu needs match time and needs to stay healthy if she hopes to build some momentum heading into next year, which was her stated goal for this Asian swing.
Clearly, when she’s fully healthy and in good rhythm, she’s capable of being among the best. This foot issue might be resolved in the coming weeks, and she might get a chance to compete in Wuhan.
Until Raducanu speaks and provides an update on her intentions, her next steps remain a mystery. However, fans in China will be hoping to see her play some tennis in the country.