Amid speculation about her side strain injury, British No.1 Emma Raducanu is making progress and will be fully prepared ahead of her Wimbledon Centre Court debut, where she faces Alison Van Uytvanck in the first round.
Emma Raducanu shot to fame last year when she won the US Open 2021 without dropping a single set at the age of 18, making history as the youngest woman to hail the title since Virginia Wade in 1977. The glorious feat, which happened in just her second Grand Slam appearance, catapulted Raducanu to superstardom.
In April 2022, the British talent went on to secure her career-high ranking of No.11 worldwide, making her the current British No.1. However, Raducanu's fans became worried as she suffered from a problem with her left side during the clash with Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic, forcing the tennis player to retire from the Nottingham Open. Although the injury cast doubt on Raducanu's likelihood of Wimbledon appearance, the Briton lately confirmed that she has been practicing and is ready for her comeback. Let's look at what happened to Raducanu, and her recovery progress before the much-anticipated tournament.
Raducanu's injury concerns mount as she suffered from a side strain
The British No.1 was trailing 4-3 in the first set against Viktorija Golubic at the Nottingham Open, her first match in the UK when she collapsed due to a problem with her left side. Even though the 19-year-old tennis player received immediate medical treatment and painkillers, she could only endure for another 33 minutes before pulling out of the match. According to Skysports, that was already the third time the young player encountered a serious injury since her victory at the US Open. In the interview with Skysports, Raducanu said:
'The first game was an absolute freak. I think I pulled something, I am not really sure what exactly happened. I don't know what I could have done more about it. That is it.'
It's worth noting that since her historic win at the US Open 2021, Raducanu's fitness status has always been questioned. In fact, Raducanu has withdrawn from a string of tournaments on account of her aggravating injury, having played only seven games of her first grass-court tournament. Given her injury-prone background, Raducanu's unexpected strain throws her chances of participating in the Wimbledon into doubt, despite the tennis player's positive mindset. She told Skysport:
'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.'
Raducanu's fitness status is said to be improving
According to Dailymail, amid speculation about her pulling out of Wimbledon, Raducanu is reported to be making good progress in her recovery from injury and is bound to return. After a week of uncertainty, the tennis player is said to have fully prepared for her Wimbledon Centre Court debut on Monday. However, her team is still closely monitoring Raducanu before any final decision regarding her Wimbledon participation is made.
If the leading British women's player can make it to Wimbledon, she will face the dangerous Alison Van Uytvanck, who is currently the world No.46, in the second match on Centre Court on Monday. Regarding her opponent, Raducanu said:
'I played her in August last year. She was the top seed at the time. Game-wise I back myself against anyone. I feel if I really put my mind to it and commit, then I can be pretty good.'
This season, Raducanu is the 10th seed in the women's singles. In the men's singles, some noticeable appearances are Novak Djokovic, who is seeking his seventh title at Wimbledon, and Rafael Nadal, a two-time Wimbledon champion.
