Emma Raducanu withdrew from Wimbledon at the last minute due to a stress fracture, and former British No 1 Tim Henman has urged her to develop greater physical resilience. The 23-year-old, who won the US Open in 2021, pulled out on the eve of her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic on No 1 Court.
Injury Forces Late Withdrawal
Raducanu had been managing a niggle but a scan on Sunday night revealed it had developed into a stress fracture. She announced her withdrawal on social media, saying: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon. I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.”
The British No 1 had just finished runner-up at Queen’s Club, but her fitness issues have been a recurring theme. She has spent several weeks on the sidelines and has gone through multiple coaches since her breakthrough in New York.
Henman Calls for Greater Resilience
Tim Henman, a six-time Grand Slam semifinalist, told the Daily Mail that Raducanu’s problem is not her tennis ability but her physical resilience. “Does Emma need to change anything in her tennis game? Absolutely not. Does she need to become physically more resilient? 100 per cent yes,” he said.
Henman highlighted her inconsistent schedule: “She played one week on grass and then she misses the next week, and then all of a sudden I hear she hasn’t been practising this week going into Wimbledon. So it’s far from ideal. And to me, that is physical resilience.”
Belief in Grand Slam Potential
Despite the setbacks, Henman remains confident Raducanu can win another major. “It will be very difficult. Few players manage to win a Grand Slam tournament. That said, when you’ve done it once, you know it’s possible to do it again. But ultimately, it all comes down to the process and the daily work,” he said.
He added: “To get back to that level, Emma needs to become physically stronger. That will allow her to increase the intensity of her game, play more matches in a row, and also improve in power, speed of movement, and endurance.”
Raducanu was seeded 30th at Wimbledon and was scheduled to play on Monday. Her withdrawal means she will miss the chance to play in front of her home crowd, which she described as “really difficult to process.”
