Emma Raducanu Retires at Wuhan Open as Difficult Conditions Take Toll

WUHAN, China — Emma Raducanu retired from her first-round match at the Wuhan Open on Tuesday, struggling against Ann Li amid challenging conditions. Raducanu was down 6-1, 4-1 when she opted to retire after taking a medical timeout, appearing dizzy at times during the second set.

Earlier in the day, Naomi Osaka secured a hard-fought victory over Leylah Fernandez, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. However, Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the tournament due to a calf injury following her recent triumph at the China Open.

Raducanu’s debut at the Wuhan Open comes after a disappointing performance in Beijing, where she faced Jessica Pegula. Despite holding three match points, Raducanu lost the match 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-0.

The draw for the Wuhan event is smaller than that of the WTA 1000 in Beijing, and Raducanu was not seeded. In her next match, she will face Ann Li, who is ranked No. 47 in the world. If victorious, Raducanu could meet No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or Canadian Open champion Victoria Mboko.

Raducanu, currently ranked No. 32 globally, is looking to earn crucial ranking points to potentially secure a seed at the Australian Open. The former US Open champion has been practicing on-site and is eager to perform better following her recent matches.