Birmingham Rothesay Classic 2022: Emma Raducanu faces race to be fit for tournament

Emma Raducanu faces a race against time to be fit for the Rothesay Classic tennis tournament which gets underway in Birmingham this weekend (11 -19 June).

The US Open champion said that she has “no idea” whether she will be fit for Wimbledon at the end of the month after her British homecoming was ruined by injury in Nottingham on Tuesday (7 June).

The 19-year-old was playing her first match in this country since she won the American Grand Slam in September, but it ended after only seven games when a side injury forced her to retire against Viktorija Golubic.

Raducanu has been plagued with injury problems since she broke on to the WTA Tour and this was her third retirement since winning in New York last summer.

She will now have a scan on what she called a “freak injury” and says it is too early to know whether she will be able to play at SW19 – the scene of her historic breakthrough last summer.

Star could miss Birmingham tournament

The 19-year-old is due to make an appearance at the prestigious Edgbaston Priory Club event this weekend, which takes place two weeks before Wimbledon gets underway, but her participation is now in doubt.

When asked by The Guardian if she would be fit for the West Midlands tournament, she said: “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.

“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.”

Describing the injury she suffered in Nottingham, Raducanu said: “The first game, an absolute freak, I think I pulled something, I am not really sure what exactly happened.

“I have just come off court, an absolute freak injury. I don’t know what I could have done more about it. That is it.

“I need to get a scan first. I am not going to ‘Google doctor’ myself. I will get it checked out, then we will see from there.

“I have no idea (about Wimbledon). It could have just seized up and gone into spasm and then it is really bad for a few days.”

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