Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from the US Open after her medical team determined that her stress fracture has not healed sufficiently to compete. In a statement released through Sky Sports, her camp confirmed that she is working hard on rehabilitation but that the injury simply needs more time. Raducanu described the absence as particularly painful given how special the tournament is to her, having famously won the title there as a qualifier.
The withdrawal is another brutal blow in what has been a deeply frustrating 2026 season for the British star. She missed the entire clay court swing and managed only one grass court tournament, reaching the final at Queen's Club before her body let her down again at Wimbledon.
Former tour professional Annabel Croft, speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, described the situation as heartbreaking given Raducanu's injury history, which includes wrist surgery and persistent foot problems on top of the current stress fracture. Croft noted that Raducanu never seems to get an uninterrupted stretch where her tennis, her body, and her mind are all aligned at the same time.
Croft also pointed to the encouraging signs at Queen's Club, where Raducanu genuinely reignited excitement around her game, making her enforced absence feel even more frustrating. The pundit suggested that ending the season entirely could be a sensible option, allowing for full recovery heading into 2027, though she acknowledged that the Asian swing carries real financial and competitive appeal for a player so in demand globally.
Raducanu has been spotted posting images wearing a boot while still attempting to serve, showing real determination to return. TennisDraw users had largely backed Raducanu as a sentimental dark horse pick at Flushing Meadows before the news broke.
