Emma Raducanu Withdraws from Wimbledon 2026 Due to Stress Fracture

New Delhi, June 29: Britain’s top player Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon 2026 due to a stress fracture in her lower leg. She announced her withdrawal just 12 hours before her first-round match against Croatia’s Antonija Ruzic.

Raducanu has been struggling with a minor injury in her lower leg since reaching the finals of the Queens Championship earlier this month. This was her second final on the WTA Tour this year. In a statement posted on social media confirming her withdrawal, the 23-year-old athlete revealed that she was advised not to continue in the tournament, as her minor injury had escalated into a stress fracture.

In her Instagram story, she expressed, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I have to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon. I tried my best to reach the starting line, but after tonight’s final scan, the minor injury I was managing has turned into a stress fracture, and I have been medically advised not to play with this injury. Playing at Wimbledon in front of home fans means everything to me, so it’s truly hard to understand.”

Questions about Raducanu’s participation in Wimbledon had been raised since last week. On Wednesday, she was seen wearing a protective boot for her foot, raising concerns about her injury. On Saturday, she practiced on the court to assess her fitness, during which she had strapping on her right lower leg. Although she practiced briefly with her team, she later abandoned a session with Russian player Anna Kalinskaya, indicating she was not fully fit.

The stress fracture adds to a growing list of injuries for Raducanu this season. She has faced multiple fitness issues throughout the year. During the off-season, she suffered another injury to her foot, which hindered her training. Additionally, she dealt with a prolonged viral infection in February. Due to her illness and fitness struggles, Raducanu missed WTA 1000 tournaments in Miami, Madrid, and Rome. She later mentioned that she has been experiencing persistent pain in her foot since the clay-court season ended.

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