Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, has announced her withdrawal from the China Open due to a foot injury. The British star sustained the injury during her quarterfinal match against Daria Kastkina in the Korea Open on Saturday.
Raducanu revealed on social media that she sprained some ligaments in her foot and needs more time to recover. “Hello, last week in Seoul I sprained some ligaments in my foot which unfortunately need some more time to heal. It means I can’t play in Beijing but I hope to be back competing as soon as I can,” she wrote.
Raducanu joins a growing list of notable players who have withdrawn from the WTA 1000 tournament, scheduled from September 25th to October 6th. Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, world number one Iga Swiatek, and three-time Grand Slam runner-up Ons Jabeur have also opted out of the event.
Meanwhile, the men’s ATP 500 tournament has also suffered a major setback with world number two Alexander Zverev pulling out due to pneumonia. The 27-year-old German, who recently helped Team Europe win the Laver Cup, will also be absent from the German squad for the Davis Cup Final 8 in November.
Despite the withdrawals, the China Open still boasts a strong field, including four of the top six men’s players, led by world number one Jannik Sinner. The tournament’s draw ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.
Fans will be hoping for a speedy recovery for Raducanu and Zverev, as the tennis world eagerly awaits their return to the court.
