Raducanu ends 2025 season prematurely following injury struggles and early Ningbo Open exit

British number one and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her final two tournaments of the year, following consecutive first round exits in Wuhan and Ningbo.  The 22-year-old has been battling with illness and injury over the past few weeks and has therefore opted to return to the UK to begin her preparations for the 2026 season with coach Roig, formerly part of Rafael Nadal’s team.

The Brit played 50 matches across the WTA tour this year, which is the most she has managed consecutively since her breakthrough 2021 campaign.  She achieved 28 wins, reaching the semi-finals in Washington, the quarter finals in Miami – where she impressively beat the 8th seed Emma Navaro before losing a tight three-set match to 4th seed Pegula – and broke into the top 30 for the first time in over three years. 

The world number 29 has clearly struggled with the physical demands and the tricky conditions of her season, retiring whilst trailing 6-1, 4-1 in her first round match in the Wuhan Open against Ann Li. 

Raducanu also went stride for stride with world number one Aryna Sabalenka on two occasions; losing 7-6, 6-4 in a tense and fiery third round matchup at Wimbledon having been a break up in both sets, before taking her all the way in Cincinnati, narrowly missing out on the fourth round after a 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 defeat.

The world number 29 has clearly struggled with the physical demands and the tricky conditions of her season, retiring whilst trailing 6-1, 4-1 in her first round match in the Wuhan Open against Ann Li. Raducanu had her blood pressure and temperature taken during the encounter, and just a week later she required further on-court medical attention at the Ningbo Open.

It is a disappointing, premature ending to Raducanu’s season, with the British number one still seeking greater consistency in her fitness as well as her on court game.

Facing world No. 219 and Chinese wildcard Zhu Lin, the British number one took the opening set 6-3 before having her blood pressure and vital signs taken during the second set and was provided with food and drink by the on-court physio.  Having left the court at the conclusion of the set and with the match heading to a decider, Raducanu was then hit with injury, reaching for her lower back after scampering to play a forehand, resulting in a medical timeout.  However, the Brit’s sharpness and service motion had evidently been hindered by the issue, with a series of costly errors resulting in a 6-1 loss in the third and final set.

The former grand slam champion only won 51% of points off her first serve and 38% off her second serve, with Zhu choosing to extend the rallies to put as much physical strain on Raducanu as possible, leading to a rapid increase of unforced errors off the British racket, especially in the wake of the medical timeout.

It is a disappointing, premature ending to Raducanu’s season, with the British number one still seeking greater consistency in her fitness as well as her on court game.Attention will now turn to her recovery phase as she attempts to enter the new year with freshness and renewed hunger to win her first title since her 2021 US Open triumph.