Raducanu withdraws from Wimbledon 2025 with stress fracture
Synopsis
Emma Raducanu's 2025 Wimbledon campaign is over before it began. A stress fracture in her lower leg — first dismissed as a 'niggle' — ended her hopes just 12 hours before her opener, extending a season already wrecked by a foot injury, a virus, and three missed WTA 1000 events. For Britain's No. 1, the home Grand Slam remains heartbreakingly out of reach.
Key Takeaways
Emma Raducanu withdrew from Wimbledon 2025 on 29 June due to a confirmed stress fracture in her lower right leg.
The withdrawal came just 12 hours before her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic of Croatia.
Raducanu had been managing the leg issue since reaching the final at the Queen's Championships — her second WTA Tour final of the year.
A final scan on the eve of the match confirmed the injury had worsened, and she was medically advised to stop competing.
The 23-year-old also missed WTA 1000 events in Miami , Madrid , and Rome earlier this season due to illness and injury.
No return timeline has been confirmed; the North American hard-court swing ahead of the US Open is her next realistic target.
Emma Raducanu, Britain's top-ranked women's tennis player, has been forced to pull out of Wimbledon 2025 after a stress fracture in her lower right leg ruled her out just 12 hours before her scheduled first-round match against Croatian opponent Antonia Ruzic. The 23-year-old confirmed the withdrawal on 29 June, in what she described as a deeply painful decision.
How the Injury Developed
Raducanu had been managing what she initially called a 'niggle' in her lower leg since reaching the final at the Queen's Championships earlier this month — her second WTA Tour final of the year. Concerns escalated over the past week when she was spotted wearing a protective boot on Wednesday. She returned to the court on Saturday to assess her fitness, wearing strapping on her lower right leg during a training session, before cutting short a practice with Anna Kalinskaya.
A final scan on the eve of her first-round match confirmed the worst: the niggle had developed into a confirmed stress fracture, and she was medically advised to stop playing through it.
What Raducanu Said
In a statement posted to her Instagram story, Raducanu said: 'I can't believe I'm saying this, but sadly I've had to withdraw from this year's Wimbledon. I've done everything possible to try to get to the start line, but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I've been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I've been medically advised to stop pushing through. Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process.'
A Season Defined by Injury
The Wimbledon withdrawal is the latest setback in a season severely disrupted by physical problems. Raducanu was unable to train properly through much of the off-season due to a separate foot injury, then battled a virus for much of February. The illness forced her to skip WTA 1000 events in Miami, Madrid, and Rome. She later confirmed the leg problem had been present since the end of the clay-court swing.
What It Means for Her Wimbledon Record
Raducanu famously won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier, a run that included a memorable Wimbledon debut reaching the fourth round that same year. Missing the grass-court Grand Slam at home — where crowd support is at its most intense — is a significant blow both personally and in terms of ranking points. This is the latest chapter in what has been a physically gruelling period for one of Britain's most high-profile sports stars.
What Happens Next
No official timeline for her return has been confirmed. The nature of a stress fracture typically requires several weeks of rest and rehabilitation. Her next realistic target on the calendar would be the North American hard-court swing ahead of the US Open, though that will depend on medical clearance.
Point of View
And the second time a lower-leg issue has derailed her at a critical juncture. The broader question is whether her support team's approach to load management is calibrated correctly for a player whose body has shown consistent vulnerability since her 2021 US Open breakthrough. Reaching two WTA finals this year signals genuine form; missing Wimbledon because a 'niggle' was pushed past its limit signals a risk management failure. British tennis cannot afford to keep losing its biggest draw to preventable escalations.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Emma Raducanu withdraw from Wimbledon 2025?
Emma Raducanu withdrew from Wimbledon 2025 on 29 June after a scan confirmed that a lower-leg niggle she had been managing had developed into a stress fracture. She was medically advised to stop competing and announced the decision 12 hours before her first-round match.
Who was Raducanu scheduled to play at Wimbledon 2025?
Raducanu was scheduled to face Croatian player Antonia Ruzic in the first round of Wimbledon 2025 before her withdrawal was confirmed the night before the match.
When did Raducanu's leg injury begin?
Raducanu reportedly began experiencing the leg problem since the end of the clay-court swing, and it resurfaced while she was competing at the Queen's Championships, where she reached the final — her second WTA Tour final of 2025.
What other injuries has Raducanu dealt with this season?
Raducanu faced a foot injury that disrupted her off-season training, followed by a virus in February that caused her to miss WTA 1000 events in Miami, Madrid, and Rome. The stress fracture is the latest in a series of physical setbacks across the 2025 season.
When could Raducanu return to competitive tennis?
No official return date has been confirmed. Stress fractures typically require several weeks of rest and rehabilitation. Her next realistic target is expected to be the North American hard-court swing ahead of the US Open, subject to medical clearance.
