“One shot in the first game, I was just like, this just doesn’t feel right at all" - Emma Raducanu on suffering freak injury at Rothesay Open in Nottingham
Emma Raducanu suffered a freak injury during her first-round match against Viktorija Golubic at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham on Tuesday. Raducanu was eventually forced to retire midway through the first set.
At her press conference, the US Open champion said that right from the start of the match, something didn't "feel right."
“One shot in the first game, I was just like, this just doesn’t feel right at all. Then I was thinking, first game, if you do something in the first game, people are going to be like, why did you walk out on to the court?" she said.
Emma Raducanu was left mystified by her injury and could not specify exactly what happened but did confirm that it occurred around the area of the ribs.
"I think I pulled something," she continued. "I’m not really sure exactly what happened, I don’t know what I could have done about it. I have to get a scan, probably, I’ll get it checked out and we’ll see from there. It’s on the side of my body, it feels maybe around my ribs."
The teenager revealed that she tried to "battle through" but was left with no choice other than to retire from the match.
“You don’t want to stop after one or two games and I tried to battle through it, and I found myself 3-1 up as well,” she said. “At that point, I knew it was just a matter of time to be honest. I clearly couldn’t serve and because of where the location [of the injury] is, I had to move it for everything, to turn, to move, to serve, to breathe in and out.”
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"When I was out there, there were some signs that I was pretty happy, playing more aggressively and stuff, so it’s just a shame" - Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu's freak injury comes just weeks ahead of Wimbledon and has cast doubt over her participation in the British Major.
During her presser, the US Open champion said that she is keeping a "positive mindset." She also said that she had prepared really well for the Rothesay Open and was "feeling good and comfortable" ahead of the tournament.
“I’m trying to keep that positive mindset that I’ve been having, and I’d prepared really well for this tournament. I was feeling good and comfortable, and I think that even when I was out there, there were some signs that I was pretty happy, playing more aggressively and stuff, so it’s just a shame," Emma Raducanu said.
Emma Raducanu in Wimbledon injury scare as she retires from opening match in Nottingham
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Raducanu has suffered a barren spell since winning the US Open last year. She has been plagued by foot blisters and a back problem. She was also struck down by COVID-19 in December.
The British teenager is scheduled to play in the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham next week, with Wimbledon set to begin on 27 June. She revealed that she was not thinking about next week after the unfortunate end to her first grasscourt match of the season.
“I haven’t thought about it [Birmingham], to be honest. I’ve literally walked off court having gone out in the way that I did. I’m not exactly thinking about next week straight away," Raducanu said.