Emma Raducanu withdraws from her United Cup tie against Naomi Osaka as Great Britain starts campaign with a 2-1 group-stage win against Japan in Australia. The British number one has not played since October and pulled out of two exhibition matches in the US in December due to a minor foot injury. Her withdrawal comes ahead of the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.
Team captain Tim Henman stated that Raducanu was "very close" to competing but ultimately decided it was too early for her to be on the court. The GB team has been praised for their work ethic and camaraderie, with Henman saying he wanted his players to enjoy the challenge and compete for every point.
Despite Raducanu's absence, Great Britain secured a 2-1 win over Japan in Perth. Katie Swan stepped in to replace Raducanu and lost to Osaka in the women's singles match, but Billy Harris earned a victory against Shintaro Mochizuki in the men's singles, while Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls clinched the tie in the mixed doubles.
Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness since winning the US Open in 2021 but completed 50 matches for the first time last season and is currently ranked 29th. She began a month of pre-season training with coach Francisco Roig in Barcelona, adding physiotherapist Emma Stewart to her team.
The GB team will face Greece in their other Group E tie on Monday, while Raducanu's next move remains unclear.
Team captain Tim Henman stated that Raducanu was "very close" to competing but ultimately decided it was too early for her to be on the court. The GB team has been praised for their work ethic and camaraderie, with Henman saying he wanted his players to enjoy the challenge and compete for every point.
Despite Raducanu's absence, Great Britain secured a 2-1 win over Japan in Perth. Katie Swan stepped in to replace Raducanu and lost to Osaka in the women's singles match, but Billy Harris earned a victory against Shintaro Mochizuki in the men's singles, while Neal Skupski and Olivia Nicholls clinched the tie in the mixed doubles.
Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness since winning the US Open in 2021 but completed 50 matches for the first time last season and is currently ranked 29th. She began a month of pre-season training with coach Francisco Roig in Barcelona, adding physiotherapist Emma Stewart to her team.
The GB team will face Greece in their other Group E tie on Monday, while Raducanu's next move remains unclear.
I think it's a bit surprising that Emma Raducanu withdrew from the United Cup just before its start, considering she had already begun her pre-season training and was ranked 29th in the world 
. It seems like she might be feeling the pressure to perform well at the Australian Open, which is just around the corner 
. On the other hand, I'm glad that Great Britain's team captain Tim Henman prioritized his players' enjoyment and well-being over Raducanu's participation 
. The fact that they still managed to secure a 2-1 win against Japan is a testament to their hard work and camaraderie 
. Now, it'll be interesting to see how Raducanu bounces back from this setback 
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and she needed a bit more time to get her form back together 
even though she didn't come out on top 
Billy Harris and Neal Skupski were the real MVPs 
winning those singles matches and mixed doubles match is always a bonus 
. Now, with the Australian Open around the corner, you'd think she'd want to get back into the swing of things, but I guess even a minor foot injury can be tough to shake off 
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. Fingers crossed she gets back on track soon 
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. 50 matches is a big deal, but if she's not feeling it, why risk an injury? 
She needs to focus on getting back to form first, can't afford to drop another match... 
. But, on the other hand, one can't help but wonder if GB's squad depth is being put to the test too much. I mean, 50 matches for Raducanu last season was a great achievement, but does it really justify playing everyone in every single tournament? 
It's like the old debate about player welfare vs competition readiness – which one should win out? 
... which sounds like it could have been a bit more serious if left unchecked 
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... I mean, you can't just rush back onto the court if you're still dealing with an injury or something 
. The GB team has been doing great, though - they seem like a really cohesive unit 
... and it's awesome that they're all supporting each other and having fun 
️... is she gonna take some more time off or try to get back into competition ASAP? Either way, I have no doubt she'll bounce back stronger than ever 
. GB's win is still a good sign for them, fingers crossed they can make it to the semis 
think emma raducanu's decision is pretty sensible considering she had a minor injury and hasn't been playing since october... 50 matches last season was still a big deal for her and she needs to get back to full fitness 
especially billy harris winning his singles match, that's awesome 
!
. She's been dealing with some injuries and form issues for a while now, and it's tough to see her sitting out a crucial match like this. On the other hand, I'm super proud of GB's team effort 
oh man I'm so shocked that Em's withdrawing from the United Cup! like she was super close but still decided to pull out 
Billy Harris and Neal Skupski slaying in mixed doubles though 
i feel bad for her, she's been working so hard and it's tough to see her withdraw from competition again 
anyway, here's to emma getting back on track in no time