Emma Raducanu has declared her intention to compete at Wimbledon despite ongoing concerns over a shin injury that has disrupted her preparations. The British No.1, speaking at her pre-tournament press conference on Sunday, stated that her plan is to play her first-round match against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic on Monday.
Injury Management and Treatment
Raducanu has been managing a shin problem for approximately a month, which intensified after a demanding five-match run at the Queen's Club earlier this month. She was seen wearing a protective boot earlier in the week and missed training sessions on Thursday and Friday, raising fears about her fitness. However, she returned to practice at the All England Club over the weekend, completing a light session on Saturday before cutting short a practice set against Russia's Anna Kalinskaya. On Sunday morning, she was back on court to further test her fitness.
"The plan right now is to play," Raducanu said. "I'm going to do everything with my team in terms of treatment." She admitted she could not put a percentage on her chances of playing but described the issue as a niggle that she has been managing with her team.
Momentum from Queen's Club
The injury scare comes just as Raducanu appeared to be building momentum on grass following an encouraging run to the Queen's Club final. After a season disrupted by illness and fitness setbacks, hopes had been growing that the 2021 US Open champion could enjoy another deep run at Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round in both 2021 and 2024.
Raducanu explained that the Queen's tournament, where she played five matches after a period of limited competition, placed significant load on her body. "It's a niggle," she said. "I've been managing it. Queen's, maybe, was a lot of load for me. Five matches after having not competed for a while, it was just a lot. But I'm just managing it with my team as best as I possibly can, exhausting all options and doing what we can."
Preparation for First Round
Despite the injury, Raducanu remains optimistic about her participation. She continued to receive treatment over the weekend and is determined to begin her Wimbledon campaign on Monday. Her first-round opponent, Antonia Ruzic, will be a challenging test, but Raducanu's focus remains on her recovery and preparation.
The 23-year-old's resilience has been evident throughout her career, and her fans will be hoping she can overcome this latest setback to produce another memorable performance at the All England Club.
