As the 2025 French Open looms on the red clay of Roland Garros, Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is confronting more than just opponents—she’s tackling her deepest fears. The 22-year-old Briton, ranked No. 43, suffered a concerning back spasm during her second-round loss to Danielle Collins at the Strasbourg Open, a final warm-up event before her first-round match against China’s Wang Xinyu on May 26, 2025. To manage the injury, Raducanu has turned to acupuncture, despite admitting, “At the start of the year, I was so scared of needles. It was my biggest phobia.” Her journey to overcome this fear, alongside a recurring back issue, highlights her resilience as she aims to make a mark in only her second French Open main-draw appearance.
Raducanu’s season has been a testament to her comeback spirit. After wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023 sidelined her for months, dropping her ranking outside the top 300, she’s clawed her way back into the top 50 with notable wins, including a dominant victory over Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg. However, her preparations for Roland Garros hit a snag when back spasms flared during her 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Collins. “It’s not feeling 100%,” she confessed, describing the injury that forced a 10-minute medical timeout in Strasbourg. Unlike a similar issue before the Australian Open, which she called “worse,” Raducanu caught this spasm early, allowing her to manage it with physiotherapy, heat, and acupuncture. “I feel like this one I kind of caught before it fully locked up,” she said, optimistic about her recovery. Her practice sessions in Paris have been encouraging, though she cautioned, “It felt OK, but obviously it’s different playing a match.”
The decision to undergo acupuncture was a significant hurdle. Raducanu’s fear of needles, which she described as her “biggest phobia,” also complicates routine anti-doping blood tests. “Sometimes it feels like Pin the Donkey because at 6am you’re not very hydrated,” she said, recounting the difficulty of providing samples. “It’s like you can’t get any blood out, and they have however many attempts.” Despite the discomfort, she’s embraced the treatment, noting, “I’ve been kind of dipping my toes into it because I know it helps even though I’m really scared of them.” This resilience stems from a hard-learned lesson after playing through wrist pain for seven months in 2023, which culminated in surgery. “I just kept pushing through because people were telling me I wasn’t tough enough,” she reflected, emphasizing her new approach to trust her instincts and prioritize recovery.
Raducanu links her back issues to the demands of clay-court tennis. “In 2024 and in 2022 when I played on the clay, I had, both times, back issues,” she explained, attributing the problem to the surface’s high-bouncing balls and longer rallies, which force her into “awkward positions.” The physical toll of clay, combined with her injury history, makes her French Open campaign a daunting challenge. Her first-round opponent, Wang Xinyu, ranked No. 42, is a tough draw, and a potential second-round clash with four-time champion Iga Swiatek looms. Yet, Raducanu remains undeterred, drawing inspiration from her British peers. “I think we all look at it as a challenge and less of a scary thing,” she said, praising Katie Boulter’s recent WTA 125 clay-court title and Jack Draper’s strong form. “It’s nice to get some wins on the board on this surface, and I think as we all do that, we kind of give each other inspiration.”
Off the court, Raducanu’s mental fortitude has been tested by personal challenges, including a stalking incident at the Dubai Open in February 2025, where she admitted she “could barely breathe” during a match. Her decision to skip last year’s French Open and the Paris Olympics sparked criticism, but she’s focused on building clay-court experience this season. “I think I’m happy to have put some more time in on the clay this year,” she said, reflecting on her limited prior exposure. Her wildcard entry into Strasbourg, unusual for her Grand Slam preparations, underscores her commitment to adapting to the surface.
As Raducanu steps onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, she carries not just the weight of expectations as Britain’s No. 2 but also a newfound courage to face her fears—both physical and psychological. “I’m trying to do everything to get up to speed as fast as possible,” she vowed, determined to navigate her injury and phobia to compete at her best. With seven British players in the opening round, including Boulter and Sonay Kartal, there’s optimism for a breakthrough after last year’s first-round wipeout. Raducanu’s journey, marked by grit and vulnerability, positions her as a player to watch, ready to battle her demons and the clay in pursuit of Roland Garros glory.
# Emma Raducanu Faces Needle Phobia to Battle Back Injury Ahead of French Open
As the 2025 French Open looms on the red clay of Roland Garros, Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is confronting more than just opponents—she’s tackling her deepest fears. The 22-year-old Briton, ranked No. 43, suffered a concerning back spasm during her second-round loss to Danielle Collins at the Strasbourg Open, a final warm-up event before her first-round match against China’s Wang Xinyu on May 26, 2025. To manage the injury, Raducanu has turned to acupuncture, despite admitting, “At the start of the year, I was so scared of needles. It was my biggest phobia.” Her journey to overcome this fear, alongside a recurring back issue, highlights her resilience as she aims to make a mark in only her second French Open main-draw appearance.
Raducanu’s season has been a testament to her comeback spirit. After wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023 sidelined her for months, dropping her ranking outside the top 300, she’s clawed her way back into the top 50 with notable wins, including a dominant victory over Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg. However, her preparations for Roland Garros hit a snag when back spasms flared during her 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Collins. “It’s not feeling 100%,” she confessed, describing the injury that forced a 10-minute medical timeout in Strasbourg. Unlike a similar issue before the Australian Open, which she called “worse,” Raducanu caught this spasm early, allowing her to manage it with physiotherapy, heat, and acupuncture. “I feel like this one I kind of caught before it fully locked up,” she said, optimistic about her recovery. Her practice sessions in Paris have been encouraging, though she cautioned, “It felt OK, but obviously it’s different playing a match.”
The decision to undergo acupuncture was a significant hurdle. Raducanu’s fear of needles, which she described as her “biggest phobia,” also complicates routine anti-doping blood tests. “Sometimes it feels like Pin the Donkey because at 6am you’re not very hydrated,” she said, recounting the difficulty of providing samples. “It’s like you can’t get any blood out, and they have however many attempts.” Despite the discomfort, she’s embraced the treatment, noting, “I’ve been kind of dipping my toes into it because I know it helps even though I’m really scared of them.” This resilience stems from a hard-learned lesson after playing through wrist pain for seven months in 2023, which culminated in surgery. “I just kept pushing through because people were telling me I wasn’t tough enough,” she reflected, emphasizing her new approach to trust her instincts and prioritize recovery.
Raducanu links her back issues to the demands of clay-court tennis. “In 2024 and in 2022 when I played on the clay, I had, both times, back issues,” she explained, attributing the problem to the surface’s high-bouncing balls and longer rallies, which force her into “awkward positions.” The physical toll of clay, combined with her injury history, makes her French Open campaign a daunting challenge. Her first-round opponent, Wang Xinyu, ranked No. 42, is a tough draw, and a potential second-round clash with four-time champion Iga Swiatek looms. Yet, Raducanu remains undeterred, drawing inspiration from her British peers. “I think we all look at it as a challenge and less of a scary thing,” she said, praising Katie Boulter’s recent WTA 125 clay-court title and Jack Draper’s strong form. “It’s nice to get some wins on the board on this surface, and I think as we all do that, we kind of give each other inspiration.”
Off the court, Raducanu’s mental fortitude has been tested by personal challenges, including a stalking incident at the Dubai Open in February 2025, where she admitted she “could barely breathe” during a match. Her decision to skip last year’s French Open and the Paris Olympics sparked criticism, but she’s focused on building clay-court experience this season. “I think I’m happy to have put some more time in on the clay this year,” she said, reflecting on her limited prior exposure. Her wildcard entry into Strasbourg, unusual for her Grand Slam preparations, underscores her commitment to adapting to the surface.
As Raducanu steps onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, she carries not just the weight of expectations as Britain’s No. 2 but also a newfound courage to face her fears—both physical and psychological. “I’m trying to do everything to get up to speed as fast as possible,” she vowed, determined to navigate her injury and phobia to compete at her best. With seven British players in the opening round, including Boulter and Sonay Kartal, there’s optimism for a breakthrough after last year’s first-round wipeout. Raducanu’s journey, marked by grit and vulnerability, positions her as a player to watch, ready to battle her demons and the clay in pursuit of Roland Garros glory.
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