Emma Raducanu withdraws from Madrid Open with hand injury

London [UK], April 27 (ANI): Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Madrid Open due to a right-hand injury.

The 20-year-old Raducanu was scheduled to play Viktoriya Tomova on Wednesday. Raducanu will be replaced by lucky loser, Julia Grabher of Austria.
Raducanu’s physical health deteriorated in 2023. Her Australian Open preparation was disrupted by an ankle injury received in Auckland, and she was forced to withdraw from Austin in February due to tonsillitis. She also suffered a wrist injury during the North American spring hard-court season, yet she made it to the fourth round of Indian Wells.

Now ranked No.85, Raducanu’s 2023 record is 5-5 following her first-round loss to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart last week.

Earlier, defending champion Ons Jabeur cannot defend her Madrid Open title this year as she has withdrawn from WTA 1000 event due to injury. The World No.4 from Tunisia withdrew from the tournament on Monday because of a left calf injury.

Two-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur said on social media that medical exams showed, “A small tear in my calf and I will need more time to recover. I am sad to announce that I won’t be able to compete and defend my title this year [at Madrid.]”

Jabeur was seeded fourth in the Madrid main draw before withdrawing. Shelby Rogers of the United States, previously the highest-ranked unseeded player, will replace Jabeur as the No.33 seed in the draw. A qualifier or fortunate loser will fill Rogers’ previous slot in the draw.

This is Jabeur’s second injury of the season. Jabeur had minor knee surgery after the Australian Open this year, which kept her out of the entire Middle East swing in February.