Raducanu Falls in Wuhan Opener, Citing Medical Issue
Wuhan, China – Emma Raducanu’s hopes for a strong finish to the season and a favorable seeding at the Australian Open were dashed today as the 2021 US Open champion was forced to retire from her first-round match at the Wuhan Open against Ann Li. The Briton exited the court after experiencing a medical issue following a dominant opening set by her opponent.
Li, ranked 46th in the world, quickly seized control of the match, winning six consecutive games after Raducanu initially held serve. The set concluded in just 28 minutes, with Li demonstrating extraordinary form and dropping only a single point on her own serve during the run. While raducanu battled to hold at the start of the second set, overcoming three double faults, she was unable to maintain momentum.
The match began to slip away from Raducanu as she failed to convert break points and committed a series of unforced errors, allowing Li to gain a 2-1 lead. Another double fault gifted Li a further break, prompting Raducanu to call for a medical timeout before ultimately conceding the match.
Li will now advance to the second round, where she will face ninth-seeded Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, who defeated Canadian Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.The tournament has already seen its share of drama this week, with defending Shanghai Masters champion Jannik Sinner retiring due to cramping and Novak Djokovic briefly falling ill during his victory over Yannick Hanfmann. A strong showing in Wuhan would have considerably improved Raducanu’s chances of securing a seeded position for the Australian Open in January, the first grand Slam tournament of 2024.
