Emma Raducanu Retirement Fears Grow as British Star Misses US Open and Billie Jean King Cup

Emma Raducanu's absence from two major tournaments has reignited retirement speculations at the age of 23. There is a growing sentiment that the British tennis star may hang up her tennis racket following injuries that made her miss Wimbledon. She is also expected to skip the US Open, which starts on Sunday, 23 August, and the Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen, China this September.

'Well, put it this way. I mean, I've got no access to that camp whatsoever, but it wouldn't surprise me if one day out of the blue, she just said, you know, "I've had enough of all this." I mean, don't we all say that?' said broadcaster and former British tennis player Andrew Castle.

Injury Struggles Halt Raducanu's Season

Raducanu began 2026 with promise, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and finishing runner-up at the Winners Open in Romania, where she lost to Sorana Cîrstea.

Her progress stalled during the Sunshine Double, bowing out of the third round of Indian Wells and pulling out of the Miami Open due to a post-viral illness. Her last victory was in June, defeating American Iva Jovic in the semifinals of the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club. She then withdrew from Wimbledon due to a foot injury.

According to reports, Raducanu was already playing with a lower-leg issue in June. She managed it until a scan confirmed that the issue had progressed into a medical stress fracture. Her team confirmed early this month that she will miss the whole North American hardcourt swing, including the US Open.

From Breakthrough to Uncertainty

It was at the 2021 US Open that Raducanu made a name for herself. She was then an unknown 18-year-old who won the Grand Slam singles title without dropping a single set. She also became the first British woman to win one since 1977.

Now, five years later, her career trajectory is clouded by recurring injuries. She currently sits at No. 59 in the WTA Rankings, far from her peak of No. 10 following her US Open triumph.

Castle on Raducanu's Journey

Commenting about Raddo, as she is affectionately called, Castle mentioned the mental fortitude the tennis star had to muster in her colourful and still young tennis career. 'I mean, it would have been great if right at the beginning, she could have literally just picked up a racket and just gone and played a few Challengers, or whatever you want,' Castle said.

He continued: 'It would have been great to have seen that, because she just went from sort of child to champion. I wouldn't know, but I've seen it a million times in a lot of different scenarios, not just sport. That is hard to cope with, let alone the injuries.'

Despite a career plagued with injuries, Raducanu remains one of the most bankable tennis players in the world. According to reports, she has cash assets from her Harbour 6 company amounting to £13.4 million ($18 million). In 2025, she earned about £3 million ($4.07 million), two-thirds of which came from off-court income. Her commercial appeal continues to make her a valuable presence in tennis, even as questions linger about her long-term future in the game.