Emma Raducanu Told Reporters She'd Play, Then Pulled Out Hours Later, and Her Body Has No Answers

Man, talk about a gut punch. Just hours after telling the press she was ready to hit the court, Emma Raducanu, Britain's own tennis phenom, officially pulled out of Wimbledon 2026 due to a gnarly stress fracture in her lower right leg. This news dropped late Sunday night, and seriously, you gotta feel for her. One minute she's gearing up for her home Grand Slam, the next, it's all over.

The Brutal Lead-Up and Last-Minute Decision

This wasn't some snap decision, either. Raducanu, seeded 30th and set to kick off against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic on Court One, had been battling this for a minute. Fears about her fitness grew over the last week. She wore a protective boot last Wednesday and skipped training Thursday and Friday due to a shin problem. On Saturday, she tried to push through with a gentle hour-long session, strapping around her lower right leg. But she then cut short a practice session with Anna Kalinskaya. Even Sunday morning's session against Alexis Canter, showing slight improvement, wasn't as rigorous a test of her movement. She told the media Sunday she was willing to push and take more risk to step out there. But ultimately, she had to listen to the doctors. "I've done everything possible to try to get to the start line but after a final scan tonight the niggle I've been managing has developed into a stress fracture," Raducanu st

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

ated. She was medically advised to stop pushing through.

Another Heartbreaking Setback in a Tough Career

Man, you gotta feel for her. Playing at Wimbledon, in front of her home crowd, means everything. So it's no shock she left the decision to pull out until the very last minute. "This is really difficult to process," she added. This marks another bitter setback in a career blighted by a series of injury problems since her fairytale 2021 US Open victory. Bone bruising on her right foot ended her 2025 season in October and limited her off-season work. After reaching the Transylvanian Open final in February, a viral illness meant she only played six matches until Queen's earlier this month. Her run to the Queen's final bred confidence and increased optimism for Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round in 2021 and 2024. But that positivity has quickly been drained, with her body letting her down again. This cycle of a step forward being followed by a setback continues for Raducanu. Last month at the French Open, an emotional Raducanu admitted maintaining a positive mindset can be tough with all the obstacles she's endured. She must again draw strength from adversity. "I have great people around me. I have amazing support from my team, from my family, from my friends. It means a lot," she shared. "Being around positive people, around positive influences, it's always going to help through tough times." We'll be watching for her return to the court.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.