Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her match against Ann Li in Wuhan after a medical evaluation by the WTA physio and tournament doctor. Raducanu, 22 years old, had to withdraw from the match when she was trailing 6-1, 4-1 against Ann Li. Li expressed well wishes for Raducanu’s speedy recovery post-match, noting that Raducanu appeared unwell during the game.
The match started with Raducanu breaking Li in the opening game, but she soon began to struggle, showing signs of dizziness before seeking medical help. Li swiftly took control of the match, winning six consecutive games and forcing Raducanu into making unforced errors before Raducanu decided to end the match.
The high humidity level of 60% and challenging temperature of around 35 degrees made conditions tough for the players on the court. Raducanu’s retirement adds to a recent trend of players withdrawing from tournaments. Iga Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, criticized the demanding schedule in tennis.
Raducanu, who had faced disappointing defeats in previous matches, expressed difficulty accepting her recent results. She aims to secure a seeded position at the Australian Open in the coming weeks. Raducanu acknowledged the challenge of recent losses where she had match points in both games, a new experience for her that she is working to overcome.