Emma Raducanu has defended her decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles at Wimbledon, calling it a "no-brainer" despite the controversy that followed. The 2021 US Open champion pulled out of her partnership with Andy Murray due to wrist stiffness, a move that drew apparent criticism from Murray's mother Judy, though she later clarified her comments.
Raducanu, who reached the fourth round in singles before losing to qualifier Lulu Sun, said she woke up with stiffness on Saturday morning and had to prioritise her body. "I have to prioritise myself, my singles and my body. I think it was the right decision," she told reporters. She added that Murray never asked if a deep singles run would affect his doubles involvement.
When asked about Judy Murray's comments, Raducanu said she was unaware of any reaction but maintained that people are "entitled to their opinions". The withdrawal meant that Murray's men's doubles defeat alongside brother Jamie became his final Wimbledon appearance, as the two-time champion is expected to retire later this year, though he will aim for Olympic gold in Paris.
Raducanu expressed regret over potentially ending Murray's Wimbledon career but insisted most players would have done the same. "It was a very difficult decision. Of course, I didn't want to take his last match away from him, but at the end of the day I think a lot of the players in a similar situation would have done the same thing," she said.
