February 26, (THEWILL) – Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from the ATX Open, the inaugural WTA Tournament starting Monday at the Westwood Country Club, due to tonsillitis.
The 20-year-old was set to compete in her first match since her loss to Coco Gauff in the Australian Open earlier this year. However, she withdrew from the new competition in Texas just before the draw overnight. “I’m sorry to have to withdraw from the ATX Open,” Raducanu said. “I am currently suffering from tonsillitis and am unable to compete this week. Thank you to the tournament for the great hospitality here in Austin.”
Raducanu has been struggling with injuries and poor form since her historic win at the 2021 US Open in Flushing Meadows. She was hopeful of being back to full fitness this year after spending the off-season working on her fitness and conditioning.
The withdrawal from the Austin Open is a further setback to her fledgling career, with former Olympic champion Monica Puig of the view that having an established and settled team in place is vital for Raducanu to set her future goals. “Not necessarily big ones because she won that Grand Slam title, but she hasn’t been able to string many results together in a row,” said Puig.
“Let go of the expectation after winning a Grand Slam. First, it’s small goals so the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals consist of 250 events. Maybe win a couple more matches in a row and work on things on the court.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
