Emma Raducanu shares health update after worrying withdrawal at Wuhan Open

Emma Raducanu has shared some positive news after her worrying withdrawal from the Wuhan Open.

The British No.1 was forced to retire in her first-round match against Ann Li on Tuesday after struggling with the extreme heat.

Raducanu was trailing 6-1, 4-1 when she called for a medical timeout in the second set, having visibly struggled on court.

After having her pulse and blood pressure checked by medics, it was decided that the 22-year-old could not continue and the match was terminated.

This sparked concern among fans, with Raducanu slumped in her chair whilst being assessed, appearing challenged by the conditions.

Feeling better now’
The 2021 US Open champion has now shared a positive update, as she revealed on social media she has been for check-ups since her early exit.

She wrote on Threads: “Last day at the doctor’s in Wuhan… feeling better now.

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“Shame I couldn’t continue there but thank you for the messages.”

Alongside this, Raducanu uploaded a picture of herself in the doctor’s office wearing a hoodie and sunglasses.

The Brit hasn’t been the only tennis star to struggle with the brutal conditions in Wuhan.

Polish star Magdalena Frech was forced to retire in her third-round clash against Karolina Muchova, and later blasted tournament organisers for their treatment of the players.

She wrote on social media: “I would like to inform you that sometimes I regret it, but I am not a machine.

“Although I have the impression that the organisers treat us like this when setting a game plan, playing three days in a row in extreme conditions, unfortunately it affected my health, which I always put first.

“Playing at 36 degrees with high smog, heated concrete and extreme humidity is acceptable if it does not happen every day.

“Unfortunately, the accumulation of this effort has consequences.”

Frech added: “Hitting the ball into the court was a great challenge. It’s no longer a tennis match, just a fight for survival!”

Elsewhere, the conditions at the Shanghai Masters saw players endure 30-degree heat and 80 per cent humidity, with Novak Djokovic vomiting twice during his third round win there.

What’s next for Emma Raducanu?
Despite Raducanu’s struggles, it won’t be long before she is back in action, as she is due to compete at this week’s Ningbo Open.

The world No.30 has been awarded a direct entry to the WTA 500 event, which gets underway on Tuesday.

Raducanu has been drawn against against the wildcard Zhu Lin in the competition’s first round.

This will bring to an end a challenging Asian swing for Britain’s poster girl, who has failed to advance beyond the second round in all three of her tournament appearances.

After opting to compete on the Korea Open instead of international duty at the Billie Jean King Cup in September, Raducanu fell to a second-round defeat against Barbora Krejcikova in Seoul.

Just a week later, she was again beaten in similar circumstances at the China Open, being knocked out by Jessica Pegula at the same stage.

And Raducanu will now be forced to decide whether to continue in China at the upcoming WTA 500 event in Ningbo, or call time on her 2025 season.