Emma Raducanu expected to skip Eastbourne as Wimbledon preparations hit road bump
- Seb Sternik
- 16 June 2022
With Wimbledon less than a fortnight away, Emma Raducanu faces a major hurdle in preparations with the player expected to miss Eastbourne due to injury worries.
The Rothesay International Eastbourne gets underway on Tuesday, but it is likely to go ahead without Raducanu's involvement.
The British number one has until 4pm on Friday to make a decision over her participation, but considering her injury worries, the 19-year-old is expected to skip the event.
Raducanu suffered an injury last week in Nottingham as she was forced to retire from her match against Viktorija Golubic.
The Brit got through seven games before deciding to quit the match, which sparked speculation over her ability to participate at Eastbourne - one of the last events before the start of Wimbledon.
The US Open champion is yet to request a wild card for the event, and could head into her SW19 return with limited time on grass.
Huge disappointment for @EmmaRaducanu, who pulls out of her first round match at the #rothesayopennottingham through injury.#bbctennis pic.twitter.com/476eZysi1z
— BBC Nottingham Sport (@BBCRNS) June 7, 2022
If the teenager does opt to skip Eastbourne, she will enter Wimbledon with just 35 minutes of match time on grass this season.
Raducanu's injury in Nottingham was the latest in a string of recent disappointments for the player who has struggled to adapt to life on the WTA Tour since her grand slam win at Flushing Meadows.
The current world number 11 burst onto the scene during last year's Wimbledon as she became the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 of the tournament in the open era, following wins over Vitalia Diatchenko, Marketa Vondrousova and Sorana Cirstea.
This year, Raducanu has struggled in grand slams, bowing out in the second round of the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
