Emma Raducanu’s recent performance at the Ningbo Open has raised serious questions about her participation in upcoming tournaments, including the Hong Kong Open. The British tennis star, who burst onto the scene with her stunning US Open victory in 2021, faced another setback in China, where physical challenges once again hampered her game and led to a disappointing first-round exit.
The match against Chinese wildcard Zhu Lin, ranked world No. 219, started promisingly for Raducanu. She claimed the opening set 6-3 after a grueling battle that featured four consecutive breaks of serve. Raducanu held her nerve, serving out the set on her fifth set point in a game that lasted nearly an hour. At that point, the 21-year-old appeared in control, leveraging her powerful groundstrokes and tactical acumen against an opponent who had fallen from a career-high ranking of 31 just two years ago due to her own injury woes.
However, the tide turned dramatically in the second set. Raducanu went down a break early but fought back to trail 3-4. It was at this juncture, with the score at 4-3 against her, that signs of distress became evident. She called for a medical timeout, wrapping herself in a towel as trainers attended to her. Her blood pressure was checked, hinting at underlying fatigue or health concerns exacerbated by the challenging conditions—89 percent humidity in Ningbo, though cooler than the sweltering 36°C heat she encountered the previous week. Upon returning to the court, Raducanu managed to hold serve and level the set at 4-4, but her momentum faltered. Zhu capitalized, breaking again and closing out the set 6-4 despite her own serving inconsistencies.
The third set proved even more troubling. Raducanu lost her serve right away and began clutching her lower back between points, stretching in visible discomfort. She broke back briefly to make it 1-2, but immediately required another medical timeout. This time, the focus was on her troublesome lower back; she lay prone on the court for several minutes while the physio worked on her. Despite the treatment, her movement was severely restricted, and the match quickly slipped away. Zhu dominated, winning the final four games for a 6-1 decider, wrapping up the contest in two hours and 27 minutes. Raducanu limped to the finish, her limited mobility allowing Zhu to claim 16 of the last 19 points.
This defeat extends a frustrating pattern for Raducanu in Asia. It marks her third straight loss, coming on the heels of a retirement from her opening match at the Wuhan Open just a week earlier. In Wuhan, she was trailing 6-1, 4-1 against Ann Li when dizziness forced her to withdraw amid high temperatures and nearly 60 percent humidity. During that medical timeout, her blood pressure and pulse were monitored, underscoring a recurring theme of physical vulnerability late in the season. Following the Wuhan incident, Raducanu shared an update on social media, saying, “Last day at the doctor’s in Wuhan… feeling better now. Shame I couldn’t continue there, but thank you for the messages.” Her words reflected resilience but also highlighted the toll these issues are taking.
Zhu, gracious in victory, acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter in her on-court interview. “It was a very tough match, I couldn’t find my rhythm, but I kept moving, kept patient, to get the rhythm, to get the final set,” she said. “Also, there were some issues with Emma in the final set. It’s not easy for both of us, it’s very near the end of the season.” Her comments captured the mutual exhaustion felt by players as the year winds down, with Raducanu’s struggles adding an extra layer of complexity.
These back-to-back health scares have ignited concerns about Raducanu’s immediate future on the tour. She is slated to compete in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo starting October 20, followed by the Hong Kong Open—a WTA 250 event—a week later. However, this latest episode, particularly the lower back injury, casts doubt on her ability to participate. It’s worth noting that Raducanu pulled out of the Hong Kong Open last year as well, making this potential absence a repeat disappointment for fans in the region. With the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the next season, just three months away, any prolonged recovery could disrupt her preparations. Raducanu has a solid history at Melbourne Park, advancing past the first round in each of the last four years, but ongoing physical woes threaten that streak.
Broader context reveals a challenging season for the young Brit. While she has shown flashes of her championship form, her record in three-set matches stands at a concerning 5-9 this year. She has lost her last five deciding sets, including heartbreaking defeats where she squandered match points against top players like world No. 5 Jessica Pegula at the China Open in Beijing (final set 6-0) and two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova at the Korea Open in Seoul (final set 6-1). These results underscore a pattern: Raducanu often starts strong but fades under pressure or physical strain, a hurdle she must overcome to reclaim her spot among the elite.
Support from her team, including hitting partner Alexis Canter and physical trainer Daniel Pohl, was evident courtside in Ningbo, with coach Francisco Roig monitoring from afar in Barcelona. As Raducanu navigates this rough patch, the tennis world watches closely, hoping she can regain full fitness and channel the determination that propelled her to that unforgettable US Open title. For now, though, the focus shifts to recovery, with her participation in Tokyo and Hong Kong hanging in the balance. The coming days will reveal whether she pushes through or opts to end her season early, prioritizing health for a stronger return in 2025.
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