British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has opted out of the Madrid Open mere hours before she was slated to hit the court for her first-round match, citing a right hand injury as the reason.
Raducanu arrived in Spain's capital intending to break a streak of three consecutive losses and was scheduled to face Viktoriya Tomova, a lucky loser, on Wednesday afternoon.
Had Raducanu suffered a fourth consecutive defeat, it would have marked the most challenging stretch in her career. However, the tournament's official Twitter account revealed on Wednesday morning that the British player had decided to withdraw.
The 20-year-old's season has been marked by intermittent play due to an ankle injury and ongoing concerns surrounding the wrist issue that cut her 2022 season short.
Raducanu secured three victories to advance to the last 32 at Indian Wells the previous month but was knocked out by world No. 1, Iga Swiatek. She then faced first-round exits at both the Miami Open and Stuttgart Grand Prix.
Although she put up a fierce fight against Bianca Andreescu in a three-set loss in Miami, Raducanu managed to win only three games in Germany the following week, falling to Jelena Ostapenko in a lopsided match.
Following her decision to withdraw from the Madrid Open, Raducanu, currently ranked 85th globally, is expected to drop out of the WTA's top-100 for the first time since her stunning victory at the 2021 US Open.
Q&A Section:
Q: Why did Emma Raducanu withdraw from the Madrid Open?
A: Emma Raducanu withdrew from the Madrid Open due to an injury to her right hand.
Q: What ranking is Emma Raducanu currently at?
A: Emma Raducanu is currently ranked 85th in the world, but she is likely to fall outside the WTA's top-100 following her withdrawal from the Madrid Open.
