The British World No 1 was forced to retire in her first match since the French Open.
Emma Raducanu recent struggles continued after she was retired from her match against Viktorija Golubic in the Nottingham Open.
Raducanu was trailing 4-3 in the first set when she retired from the match. The 19-year-old had taken painkillers early in the game before deciding to withdraw from the match.
The clash against Golubic was Raducanu’s first game since she lost in the second round of the French Open loss to Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Raducanu’s latest injury is another blow in her development following her win at the US Open last year.
Almost 12 months ago, Raducanu, a qualifier, stunned the tennis world by going all the way to win the Women’s singles title at Flushing Meadows.
Will Raducanu win another slam?
It was a victory that had never been, even for Women’s tennis, known for its unpredictability. It is also important to note that a few months before her US Open run, she also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
However, 12 months after her US Open victory, there are doubts over Raducanu’s ability to back up her first slam. Since winning the US Open title, Raducanu is yet to win another trophy.
While that may not matter a lot, given she is only 19, it is the manner of her losses that is a source of concern.
Her best run since winning the US Open is a quarter-final appearance at the Translyvania Open, which is quite disappointing for a player tipped for greatness.
Although it may seem ridiculous to say that the British teenager is a one-time fluke, Raducanu needs to start making a deep run in tournaments to dispel that notion.
And with Wimbledon up next, there is no better place to start than where she had her first breakthrough.
