British tennis star Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon 2026 on the eve of the tournament, citing a stress fracture in her right leg. The 23-year-old, ranked British No. 1, made the announcement late on Sunday evening, just hours after expressing her intention to play her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic on Monday afternoon.
Raducanu revealed on Instagram that what she had been managing as a “niggle” in her lower leg since the Queen's tournament had escalated into a stress fracture following a final scan. She stated, “I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow 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.” This injury marks a significant blow for the player and home fans, especially after a promising start to her grass-court season, which included reaching the final at Queen's.
Concerns over Raducanu's fitness had been mounting throughout the week. She was observed at the All England Club wearing an orthopaedic boot and subsequently missed two days of practice. On Saturday, she abruptly ended a training session with Anna Kalinskaya and postponed her pre-tournament press conference, deepening worries about her readiness. Despite returning to training on Sunday with her lower leg strapped, her condition deteriorated, leading to the late-night withdrawal.
The former US Open champion has openly discussed the risks of playing through injury, particularly for a home Grand Slam. She previously indicated a willingness to “push beyond anything” she would for other tournaments when it came to Wimbledon. This decision to withdraw underscores the severity of the injury, despite her strong desire to compete in front of a home crowd, where she has twice reached the fourth round.
Raducanu's career has unfortunately been punctuated by a series of injury setbacks. Earlier this year, a post-viral illness kept her off court for two-and-a-half months, causing her to miss most of the clay-court season before returning for the French Open. Her absence from Wimbledon represents another frustrating chapter for the young star, impacting her hopes of building momentum after her strong performance at Queen's, where she ultimately lost to Donna Vekic in the final.