Emma Raducanu ended her season early after physical struggles in China.
The British number one had hoped to continue her good run into 2025 to secure a seeding at January’s Australian Open, but that remains up in the air.
However, there is good news on the coaching front, with 22-year-old and experienced Spaniard Francisco Roig reaching a deal to continue working with him into 2026.
Raducanu withdrew during the second set of his match against Ang Li in Wuhan last week, complaining of dizziness due to the hot and humid temperatures, and later posted a photo of himself in the examination room on social media.
She said she felt better and chose to compete in this week’s Ningbo Open, but was clearly not 100% and lost her first match yet again.
Raducanu won the first set against Zhu Lin, but in the second set he appeared lethargic and had his blood pressure checked, while in the final he suffered from recurring back pain and was barely able to move until the end.
She was scheduled to compete in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo next week and the Hong Kong Open starting October 27, but has decided to focus on her recovery instead.
According to the PA news agency, the former US Open champion has been feeling unwell for the past 10 days and has decided not to push his body any further.
She will now take some time off the court before linking up with Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former longtime coach, who will begin working with him during pre-season training blocks in August.
It has been a season full of ups and downs for Raducanu. She had a difficult first few months on and off the court, with her then-coach Nick Cavaday stepping down due to ill health, and then crouching down in tears during a game in Dubai after spotting a persistent man in the crowd.
She had won only three matches before, coming at the Miami Open in mid-March, but a temporary coaching deal with Mark Petchey quickly paid off, as she reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
It heralded a great spring and summer, with Raducanu consistently winning games and dropping nearly halfway through the standings, but the optimism that surrounded her when she left New York with Roig and won her first game at Flushing Meadows since 2021 took another dip.
– Emma Raducanu struggles with back issues in Ningbo, opens exit
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– Raducanu withdraws from Wuhan Open 1st round
She delayed her decision to withdraw from Great Britain’s squad for the Billie Jean King Cup final, and while she was instrumental in her rebuild, she won only two of her four matches in Asia, losing on match point to both Barbora Krejcikova and Jessica Pegula.
Raducanu may have done well enough to earn a seeding in Melbourne, giving her a good foundation for herself as she looks increasingly likely to avoid a draw like the one she faced at this season’s Grand Slams.
Raducanu, who entered this year’s Australian Open ranked 61st, has elevated herself to 29th in the world, but crucially, she has shown that her body is nearly capable of sustaining a full season.
If she continues to train with Roig, regains consistency in her physical training, and can put together a strong pre-season, she should have high hopes for a positive result in 2026.
