British No. 1 Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon 2026 after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in her lower leg, ending her hopes of competing at her home Grand Slam.
The 23-year-old announced her withdrawal just 12 hours before she was scheduled to face Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic in the opening round. Raducanu had been managing what she initially described as a minor “niggle” in her lower leg since reaching the final of the Queen’s Championships earlier this month, but a final medical scan confirmed the injury had worsened into a stress fracture.
Raducanu Confirms Heartbreaking Withdrawal
In an emotional statement shared on her Instagram Stories, the 2021 US Open champion revealed she had done everything possible to be fit for Wimbledon but had been advised by doctors not to continue playing.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon,” Raducanu wrote.
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line, but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.”
She also expressed her disappointment at missing the tournament she values most.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process,” she added.
Injury Concerns Grew During Wimbledon Preparations
Questions over Raducanu’s fitness had been mounting throughout the past week.
She was first seen wearing a protective medical boot last Wednesday, raising concerns about the seriousness of the injury.
Although she returned to the practice courts on Saturday to test her fitness, she trained with heavy strapping on her lower right leg. Raducanu also ended a practice session with Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya earlier than planned, further fuelling speculation that she was struggling physically.
Despite those concerns, the British star continued trying to prepare for the tournament before the latest scan ruled her out.
Latest Blow In Difficult 2026 Season
The stress fracture is the latest setback in what has been another injury-disrupted campaign for Raducanu.
Her season has been hampered by multiple physical issues, including:
- A foot injury that prevented her from completing a full off-season training programme.
- A virus that affected her for much of February.
- Missing the WTA 1000 tournaments in Miami, Madrid and Rome due to lingering health concerns.
- Ongoing lower leg pain that first appeared after the clay-court season and eventually developed into a stress fracture.
Despite those setbacks, Raducanu enjoyed encouraging results earlier this year, reaching the final of the Queen’s Championships—her second WTA Tour final of the 2026 season—which had raised hopes of a strong Wimbledon campaign before injury struck once again.
Her withdrawal represents another disappointing chapter for the former US Open champion, who has continued battling fitness issues since her historic Grand Slam triumph in 2021.