Emma Raducanu has been one of the unluckiest players in dealing with injuries over the last few years. She's had surgery on her ankles and wrists that have forced her to miss significant time. Her latest ailment is a stress fracture in her leg.
She was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon because of the issue, but the absences didn't stop there. She also won't be able to play the Canadian Open, and she isn't on the entry list for the Cincinnati Masters either. That makes it appear that, barring something unforeseen, her next event would be the US Open.
The Brit is also dropping loads of ranking points in the process and will likely be ranked well outside the top 60 even if she were to return at the major in New York. The truth is, she is probably better off missing the tournament.
Emma Raducanu could be in for an extended absence from tennis
Stress fractures could get worse if they aren't fully healed when a tennis player tries to keep pounding away on the court. Not playing any warm-up events and then suddenly playing a major portends bad things.
Raducanu probably wants to play in New York. She won the US Open in 2021, and that remains her only WTA singles title. At the Canada Open, Cincinnati Open, and US Open in 2025, she reached the third round. Not playing those events would mean the Brit No. 1 would drop 455 points.
The points shouldn't matter, however. What truly matters is having Emma Raducanu be completely healthy, or as healthy as she could ever be. Missing the US Open would appear likely if she is also missing Toronto and Cincinnati, and returning after the major makes less sense.
Not coming back until 2027 wouldn't be great for her fans, of course, but the move might be best for her long-term health. Raducanu knows as well as anyone what a brutal mental effect injuries can have, and rushing back from them does no one any good.
It is easy to forget that Raducanu is still only 23 years old. She won the US Open at age 18. She could very well have a long career ahead of her, and taking a forced rest earlier in her career could help her later. Let's just hope that whenever she does come back, even if that is by the 2026 US Open, she gets a break and can stay healthy for many years in a row.
