Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from her United Cup opener against Naomi Osaka in Perth due to a foot injury, but Great Britain still secured a 2-1 victory over Japan. The 23-year-old pulled out only an hour before the match, casting doubt on her participation in the rest of the tournament.
Billy Harris stepped in for the absent Jack Draper and defeated Shintaro Mochizuki 7-6 (4), 6-3. Katie Swan replaced Raducanu and lost 7-6 (4), 6-1 to Osaka. Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls then sealed the tie with a 7-5, 4-6, 10-7 win in the mixed doubles.
Raducanu has been struggling with a foot injury since October, when she ended her 2025 season early. Draper is also sidelined with bone bruising on his left arm, extending his absence to six months. Great Britain captain Tim Henman said Raducanu is 'very close' to returning and has been training in London with static drills.
Raducanu remained with the team, cheering on her teammates. 'It gives me an extra day,' she said of the delay. Henman noted that the team would assess her fitness overnight before deciding on her involvement in Monday's match.
Great Britain next face Greece, led by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, for a guaranteed quarter-final spot. Greece defeated Japan on Friday.
