After Queen’s, Emma Raducanu’s hopes for Wimbledon looked brighter than they have done for four years, since she arrived at the 2022 tournament as the 10th seed.
But that didn’t last very long at all, as the British No 1 looks to be suffering from an injury that could rule her out of the Grand Slam completely.
Raducanu was seen leaving Aorangi Park with a protective boot on and she subsequently pulled out of a Wimbledon practice session, just a few days before the main draw is set to begin.
As rumours swirl around Raducanu’s status for Wimbledon, the organisers have given her a less than empathatic schedule in the Grand Slam’s first order of play.
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Raducanu has been scheduled to play first on the opening day of play, as she is set to play Antonia Ruzic in the first match on number one court on Monday, June 29th.
Raducanu vs Ruzic will take place before Marin Cilic vs Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva vs Magda Linette on Wimbledon’s second biggest court.
While it couldn’t be helped that she is playing on the first day of action, as that is the way the draw has fallen, it seems an odd decision for Wimbledon to not give Raducanu more time to aid her injury.
Perhaps this is good news, and confirms that Raducanu will be playing the event, but it could have also given her a race against time to get fit before her home Grand Slam.
Even if she is fit enough to play, Raducanu faces a tough task against Ruzic, who has beaten the British star in their only previous meeting.
Ruzic defeated Raducanu at this year’s Dubai Tennis Championships, when the Croatian star entered the WTA 1000 event as a lucky loser.
She toppled Raducanu 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to gain the win over the British star, which will be another worry for her following her difficulties with injury.
To make matters worse, Raducanu has also been drawn in the same section of the draw at World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka for the second time in as many years at Wimbledon.
Should Raducanu reach the third round of her home Grand Slam, it’s very likely she will face the best player in the world currently.
Raducanu is yet to taste victory against Sabalenka, having lost to her three times in a row, so it’s another major blow for the British No 1.
She is also in the same section of the draw as Naomi Osaka, Leylah Fernandez, and Jelena Ostapenko, who is Raducanu’s most likely second round opponent.
