Emma Raducanu has unfortunately had to withdraw from the upcoming Hong Kong Open due to persistent injury issues, just days after announcing her intention to compete. The British sensation hasn’t played since suffering a ligament injury at the Korea Open in Seoul last month, where she had hoped to make a comeback at the WTA 250 event.
Raducanu joins a growing list of withdrawals, including notable names like Naomi Osaka and Danielle Collins, all sidelined by various physical concerns. This latest setback has dashed her plans for a busy tournament schedule aimed at gaining crucial match experience.
Criticism has mounted over her limited summer schedule prior to the US Open, where she faced an early exit in the first round against Sofia Kenin. Reflecting on her ambitions for the remainder of the year, the 21-year-old had expressed a strong desire to prioritize the Asian swing. “I think the rest of the year, as long as I’m healthy, I’m going to try and finish the season and play as many matches as I can,” Raducanu stated before the Korea Open. She acknowledged her need for match play, having noted, “I’ve not played many points, even in practice.”
Her campaign in Seoul started positively, reaching the quarter-finals before she had to retire during her match against Daria Kasatkina. Since that incident, Raducanu has pulled out of WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan, along with additional tournaments in Guangzhou and Ningbo, culminating in her withdrawal from Hong Kong.
With the Hong Kong Open taking place during the final week of the standard WTA Tour calendar—leaving only the WTA Finals remaining—this withdrawal means that Raducanu has effectively concluded her WTA season for 2024. Nevertheless, she is still set to represent Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, starting November 13. Given her recent injury woes, however, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had to step back from this significant team event as well.
Currently ranked 55th in the world, Raducanu’s journey in 2024 has been remarkable considering she started the year at 285th after a challenging 2023 season.