Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from the Austin Open due to illness. The 20-year-old was scheduled to compete in her first match at the tournament in Texas since losing to Coco Gauff at the Australian Open in January, but she withdrew minutes 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,” she added. The winner of the 2021 US Open had agreed to compete in the inaugural WTA Tour event, which gets underway on Monday at the Westwood Country Club.
A 16-team doubles field will also be present in the competition, which will be the first one to be staged in the United States during the WTA’s 50th anniversary season. The first six days of the ATX Open, which takes place from February 27 to March 5, will each feature two sessions, one in the day and one in the evening. Since her spectacular victory at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu has struggled with injuries and poor performance in her first full season on the tour. After working on her fitness and conditioning over the off-season, she had high hopes for returning to full fitness this year. She suffered a setback with an injury right before the year’s first Grand Slam, but she bounced back in time for the Australian Open. Before the French Open, she took a brief hiatus from competitive tennis, but her withdrawal from the Austin Open is a blow to her nascent career.