Emma Raducanu: ‘Freak injury’ forces US Open champion out of tournament and puts Wimbledon in doubt | UK News

Emma Raducanu could be a doubt for Wimbledon after she was forced to retire from the Nottingham Open because of “an absolute freak injury”.

The US Open champion needed a medical timeout in the early stages of her match against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic after suffering a problem with her left side.

The teenager received treatment and took painkillers but was forced to pull out in the first set – the third time she has had to do so since winning the US Open in September.

Speaking after the match, she said she did not know if she would be fit for Wimbledon, which starts on 27 June.

“I have no idea [about Wimbledon]. It could have just seized up and gone into spasm and then it is really bad for a few days.”

She said: “I think I pulled something, I am not really sure what exactly happened.

“I have just come off court, an absolute freak injury. I don’t know what I could have done more about it. That is it.

“I need to get a scan first. I am not going to ‘Google doctor’ myself. I will get it checked out. Then we will see from there.”

The Nottingham Open was her first match in the UK since her historic run to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.

Raducanu, 19, has had several injury problems this year as she struggles with the physical demands of life on the WTA Tour.

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In January, a blister on her finger lead to defeat at the Australian Open and the following month she retired from a first-round match in Mexico and withdrew from a WTA event with a leg injury.

She suffered from a stiff back during a first-round defeat at Indian Wells in March and a blister on her foot led to defeat in the Billie Jean Cup.

Raducanu withdrew from the Italian Open in May with back pain.