Emma Raducanu has officially withdrawn from the US Open after sustaining a stress fracture ahead of Wimbledon, adding yet another painful chapter to what has been a brutally disrupted 2026 campaign. The British star missed both the clay court and grass court swings due to injury, and illness also sidelined her earlier in the year.
What makes the situation especially frustrating is that Raducanu has shown genuine form when fit. She reached two WTA finals this season, at the Transylvania Open and Queen's, a strong indication of her quality when her body holds up.
Now the central question is whether Raducanu should shut down her season entirely and preserve the chance to use a protected ranking in 2027. Broadcaster Annabel Croft weighed in on Sky Sports Tennis, telling host Pete Odgers that ending the season early would not be a bad decision at all. Croft emphasized that fully healing and returning fresh is far more valuable than grinding through the Asian swing compromised.
The cautionary tale here is Jack Draper. Draper, who has faced his own injury struggles, returned to the court in February just a touch too soon, which cost him the ability to claim a protected ranking. As a result, he has had to rely on wildcards at events including the Cincinnati Open and the Canadian Open this season.
Raducanu would likely slip outside the top 100 by sitting out the rest of the year, but a protected ranking could smooth her return considerably in 2027. One complicating factor is her new partnership with UNIQLO, which may create commercial incentives to stay active.
TennisDraw users will be watching closely to see whether Raducanu features in any late-season bracket predictions before an official decision is made.
