Britain’s Emma Raducanu has made the difficult decision to withdraw from her final two events of the year due to an illness that she has been battling for the past ten days. The 22-year-old tennis star was slated to play in both Tokyo and Hong Kong, but after careful consideration of her health, she has opted to return home to focus on her recovery. This decision comes as she looks ahead to preparing for the 2026 season, emphasizing her commitment to returning to the court in better health.
In terms of her coaching situation, Raducanu is set to work with coach Francisco Roig again next season, as the two have mutually agreed to continue their partnership. This development is a positive sign for Raducanu, who has been navigating a challenging year with various physical struggles. During her recent first-round match against Ann Li in Wuhan, Raducanu experienced health issues that necessitated medical attention and led to her retirement while trailing 6-1, 4-1 on what could be described as an oppressively humid day.
At this week’s Ningbo Open, Raducanu again faced challenges, losing in three sets to Chinese wildcard Zhu Lin in the opening round. It was evident that she was far from her best, particularly in the decisive set, where a recurring lower back problem hampered her mobility. This season has seen some ups and downs for Raducanu, ending on a less than favorable note, with three consecutive defeats. Nevertheless, she has made strides throughout the year, including rising into the world’s top 30 for the first time in over three years – a significant achievement given her previous struggles in the sport.
Notably, during this season, Raducanu won 28 matches and showcased her talent by reaching the semi-finals in Washington. However, her standout performance came during the Miami Open in March, where she made it to the quarter-finals after impressive victories, including one against the eighth seed, Emma Navarro. Unfortunately, she lost in three sets to fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula, who has been a formidable opponent for her this year.
Raducanu’s training and coaching structure have been dynamic over the season, initially working with Mark Petchey from Miami up until Wimbledon, before Roig took over just in time for the US Open. Their partnership originally had an agreement to last until the end of the season, but the two have decided to continue working together, including planning a training block for the year’s end to ensure they can fine-tune her game.
Raducanu spoke candidly to BBC Sport about her training experience with Roig, describing it as a “black ops mission” due to the effort they put into keeping their meetings confidential. Their collaboration showed promise early on, with Raducanu performing admirably and coming close to beating world number one Aryna Sabalenka at their first tournament together in Cincinnati this past August. Roig also guided Raducanu during the US Open, where she reached the third round but ultimately fell to 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
With all these factors at play, Raducanu’s focus on recovery and preparation for the upcoming season is essential. Her resilience and determination to overcome health setbacks and continue her upward trajectory in the sport demonstrate the spirit of a true athlete.
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