Emma Raducanu's 2026 summer has been a story of frustration and missed opportunities. After lighting up the grass-court swing by reaching the final at Queen's, the British No. 1 was then sidelined by a stress fracture of the foot that kept her out of Wimbledon entirely. The injury trouble has not stopped there, with Raducanu also confirmed absent from the Canadian Open and now the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in September.
Great Britain earned their spot in the Finals after a remarkable victory over Australia earlier this year. The team will travel to Shenzhen, China, where they face a tough group including Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, and Ukraine. Without Raducanu, captain Anne Keothavong will lean heavily on Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic, and Jodie Burrage to carry the nation's hopes.
Keothavong spoke positively about her selected squad, noting Boulter's big-match experience and praising the trio who delivered that stunning win against Australia. She acknowledged Czechia will be a demanding opener but expressed genuine belief in the group's abilities given Britain's strong record in recent Finals.
The absence of Raducanu is still a significant blow. She carries a remarkable 6-1 record for Great Britain in the competition since her 2022 debut, with wins over notable opponents including Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry. Her only defeat in that run came against Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets.
Whether Raducanu will recover in time for the US Open remains an open question, though optimism is fading quickly as the hard-court season accelerates. TennisDraw users tracking her potential return will want to keep a close eye on any fitness updates before locking in their US Open bracket picks.
