Emma Raducanu withdraws from Australian Open tune-up with back injury

Emma Raducanu of Britain returns a shot during a practice session at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, ahead of the ASB Classic tennis tournament. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand— Former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Auckland tennis classic, saying a back injury she has been nursing in recent weeks had not improved as much as she hoped.

The 22-year-old British player was seeded sixth for the tournament and was due to play her opening match of the new season on Tuesday against Robin Montgomery of the United States.

READ: Emma Raducanu is back and doesn’t question whether she’s ready

“I’ve tried my best to be ready. I love Auckland and the fans here. But unfortunately I’ve picked up a back niggle and I won’t be ready in time,” Raducanu said.

Second-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium also withdrew on Tuesday from the tournament which is a tune-up for the Australian Open beginning Jan. 12 in Melbourne.

“I am sorry not to play my singles due to an injury,” Mertens said. “I wish the tournament all the best and hope to be back next year.”

READ: Emma Raducanu confident she can return to top

In a pre-tournament news conference on Monday Raducanu expressed optimism for the new season. She finished her 2024 season on a high, winning all three of her singles for Britain at the Billy Jean King Cup.

‘So that’s like a good stepping stone after three surgeries the year before,” Raducanu said. “And I think this year I’m just ready to push on and build on and I’ve really kind of taken measures and steps to do that with my team and how I’m operating and how I’m feeling about things. So, I’m looking forward to this year.”

Raducanu’s career has been regularly hampered by injuries and she recently hired fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura to join her team. Nakamura accompanied her to Auckland.

The 2021 U.S. Open champion returned to tennis last year after undergoing surgery on both wrists and an ankle. But she was sidelined for several weeks late in the season by a foot injury.

Raducanu fell out of the top 300 during her injury struggles but fought her way back to 56th through 2024. The Auckland event would have marked the first time in almost two years she has been seeded in a tournament.

“I haven’t been seeded in a while,” Raducanu said. “It doesn’t really make a difference though. I feel like everyone and the depth of the women’s game right now is so strong that literally anyone can win any tournament.”