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Emma Raducanu Pulls Out of Berlin Open Due to Back Injury

Emma Raducanu has pulled out of the Berlin Open after back spasms bothered her at HSBC Championships.
Pat Benson|
Emma Raducanu was non-committal about grass court schedule after losing in the HSBC Championships.
Emma Raducanu was non-committal about grass court schedule after losing in the HSBC Championships. | IMAGO / Colorsport

The 2025 season has been the strongest campaign in many years for Emma Raducanu. Just this week, Raducanu surpassed Katie Boulter to become the top-ranked British player in the WTA.

Raducanu enjoyed a strong week in London, advancing to the quarterfinals of the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club. Unfortunately for Raducanu, her nagging back injury popped up again during her straight-sets loss to the one-seed Qinwen Zheng on Friday.

On Saturday morning, multiple outlets reported that Raducanu has pulled out of the Berlin Open due to her lingering back injury.

Raducanu took a medical timeout near the end of the first set to receive treatment and painkillers. The 22-year-old finished the match but was non-committal about the rest of grass court season during her post-match press conference.

The first question was about her back and the treatment she received. "Yeah, I have been struggling with my back since Strasbourg, and it's just been something that's been on and off," said Raducanu.

"I have been managing it pretty well over the last few weeks, but I guess as the week goes on and I have played five matches now, like, even if two were doubles, I think it just tests it out... Yeah, they took me off court and taped it up to give me some extra stability and some painkillers."

Raducanu was asked if she was concerned about the back injury and if she was a fitness doubt for Wimbledon. "Well, I don't know. Like it's been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before," Raducanu said.

"I think it's just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it. I'm not overly concerned that it's something serious, but I know it's something that's very annoying and needs proper and careful management."

When asked if she would have to rethink playing Berlin, Eastbourne, and Wimbledon, Raducanu said, "I don't know. I need to think about that and see how it settles and recovers over the next few hours."

Raducanu has steadily climbed the WTA Rankings, currently ranked as the World No. 37 with a record of 15-12. However, her decision to withdraw from the Berlin Open means she will not be seeded for Wimbledon.

The silver lining is that Raducanu is expected to compete in the Lexus Eastbourne Open the week before Wimbledon. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all your tennis news.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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