Emma Raducanu withdraws from Berlin Open due to back injury concerns
By TAMARA PRENN
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Berlin Open as she continues to manage the back issue that has plagued her since the tail end of the clay season.
The newly minted British No1's first grass-court event came this week at Queen's, with Raducanu reaching the quarter-finals before facing off with number-one seed Zheng Qinwen.
After taking a medical timeout to see a physio off-court, Raducanu lost in straight sets to the Olympic champion, and shared in the wake of the match that she was still struggling with the recurrence of a back spasm which interrupted her tournament preparations last week.
'I have been struggling with my back since Strasbourg, and it's just been something that's been on and off,' Raducanu said. '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.
'I don't know (how concerned I should be). It's been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before. 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,' she added.
Emma Raducanu will not take part in the Berlin Open after her quarter-final defeat at Queen's
The 22-year-old has struggled with a back issue since Strasbourg nearly one month ago
Raducanu took a medical timeout during her quarter-final loss to Zheng Qinwen on Friday
mes just 17 days before the start of Wimbledon, and all but ends the player's chance of being seeded at her home Grand Slam.
Ranked 36 in the world in the live rankings, barring a spate of withdrawals Raducanu will likely face a more challenging draw as a result.
But Raducanu remains positive that she will compete at Eastbourne, one week before the Championships, after taking a rest week instead of playing the 250 tournament in Germany.
The former US Open champion's campaign in west London began brightly, with the then-British No2 seeing off Cristina Bucsa in a brutal straight-sets thrashing.
With similar confidence Raducanu then saw off Rebecca Sramkova to book her first meeting with world No5 on Friday afternoon.
Ahead of the tournament, Raducanu admitted last week that her tournament expectations were 'pretty low' after her grass-court training plans were interrupted by a second spasm three weeks after struggling in Strasbourg.
Fellow British No1 Jack Draper will begin his grass-court tune-up ahead of Wimbledon against the American Jenson Brooksby.
The number-two seed at next week's men's tournament at Queen's most recently played the world No151 - who enters the tournament with a protected ranking - during his triumphant run at Indian Wells.
Jack Draper will play Jenson Brooksby in his first round at Queen's when the men's event starts on Monday
Draper would be on course to meet the tournament's number-one seed and French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final, one year on from defeating the Spaniard in their second-round clash at The Queen's Club.
Other potential seeded match-ups for Draper include US stars Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik, and world No10 Alex de Minaur.
Jacob Fearnley will meet a qualifier in his opening round in west London, while wildcards Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans will meet Mensik and Tiafoe respectively.
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