Emma Raducanu LIVE: British No 1 forced to retire from Nottingham Open match after latest injury setback
Follow live updates as Emma Raducanu returns to the British grass for the first time since her US Open triumph in her opening match of the Nottingham Open against Viktorija Golubic. The 19-year-old has come full circle as she returns to the scene of her WTA Tour debut 12 months ago, which came just weeks after finishing her A-Levels.
Raducanu’s subsequent breakthrough at Wimbledon was followed by her remarkable victory in New York, and ahead of her homecoming at the All England Club later this month the British No 1 will look to get up to speed on the grass at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
“It is where it started over for me and I am proud of what I have achieved over the last 12 months,” Raducanu has said. “It signifies the start of a journey for me. It wasn’t the most positive week results wise but I learned a lot and it definitely set me in good stead for the rest of the season. I felt I built on that every single week.”
Raducanu, who is the No 2 seed at the tournament, behind the world No 5 Maria Sakkari, and faces a first career meeting with the 29-year-old Golubic. The Swiss player is ranked world No 55 but reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last year. Follow live updates and scores from Raducanu vs Golubic, below:
Nottingham Open 2022: Raducanu vs Golubic
Raducanu takes medical timeout after three games
Raducanu returns to grass for first time since Wimbledon
Raducanu up next after Sakkari advances with 6-2 6-3 win
How to watch the Nottingham Open on TV
Raducanu forced to retire due to injury
13:26 , Jamie Braidwood
This was not how Raducanu would have wanted her UK homecoming to end. A latest injury setback forces the 19-year-old to retire after just seven games and comes just three weeks before Wimbledon.
Breaking: Raducanu forced to retire due to injury
13:22 , Jamie Braidwood
That’s it. Raducanu approaches the umpire and is forced to retire from the match.
Raducanu 3-4 Golubic* - Golubic breaks
13:21 , Jamie Braidwood
Golubic senses an opportunity after Raducanu fires wide on the forehand, and a forehand winner down the line from the Swiss sets up two more break points.
Raducanu nets as Golubic edges ahead once more, as Raducanu goes back to the trainer.
*Raducanu 3-3 Golubic
13:17 , Jamie Braidwood
There is quite a subdued atmosphere now at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, as Raducanu holds the left side of her stomach in between points.
Golubic hits a lovely backhand into the corner to move 30-15 up and after Raducanu goes long Golubic plays the drop shot from the baseline that her opponent cannot reach.
Raducanu 3-2 Golubic* - Golubic breaks
13:14 , Jamie Braidwood
But then... as Golubic takes the opening three points on the Raducanu serve the 19-year-old suddenly appears uncomfortable. A forehand winner crosscourt saves the first of three break points but Raducanu then nets, and goes back to receiving treatement from the trainer.
*Raducanu 3-1 Golubic - Raducanu breaks
13:11 , Jamie Braidwood
Well, whatever that problem was, Raducanu seems to be absolutely fine now. She comes back from the medical timout to play her best tennis of the match so far as she takes a second consecutive break, after hitting some lovely shots into the corners.
Raducanu 2-1 Golubic* - Raducanu takes medical timeout
13:07 , Jamie Braidwood
Raducanu is now on her side as the trainer stretches her left arm.
Raducanu had four minutes of the timeout, which has now concluded.
It looks like she will continue.
Raducanu 2-1 Golubic* - Raducanu calls trainer
13:02 , Jamie Braidwood
The trainer is attending Raducanu and is pressing into her left rib area. Is this another injury?
She’s handed a couple of Ibuprofen but then is asked to lie down onto court.
A medical timeout is called by the umpire.
Raducanu 2-1 Golubic*
13:01 , Jamie Braidwood
Raducanu gets off the mark on her serve with an ace out wide but Golubic produces a nice angle to get back to 30-15 as Raducanu nets looking for the winner down the line. A forehand is wild from Golubic after Raducanu had pressed, before a good serve up the middle is sliced long by Golubic.
A hold... but Raducanu has called for the trainer.
*Raducanu 1-1 Golubic - Raducanu breaks back
12:58 , Jamie Braidwood
Golubic’s forehand misfires a couple of times and Raducanu is immediately handed a couple of break-back opportunities. She steps into a second serve but can’t damage Golubic, before the Swiss saves the second with a clean winner down the line with that one-hander.
Really good hitting from Raducanu on deuce as she gets her reward for aggressive play with a third break point, sealed with a forehand winner. Raducanu had a chance on the backhand looking at a second serve but sent it well long.
Golubic nets on the backhand and then fires wide on the forehand, so on the fourth break point Raducanu is able to level.
Raducanu 0-1 Golubic* - Golubic breaks
12:46 , Jamie Braidwood
Underway! But not the start Raducanu would have wanted. After netting a forehand from the middle of the baseline, it is followed by a double fault out wide. Golubic has a fierce one-handed backhand but drops one into the net for 30-30.
Golubic then steps into a forehand and the power is too much as Raducanu stretches to net. It brings up an early break point, and it goes Golubic’s way as she pins Raducanu deep and then drops a volley over into the open court.
*denotes next server
Nottingham Open 2022: Raducanu vs Golubic
12:41 , Jamie Braidwood
“Please welcome our second seed and US Open champion, Emma Raducanu!”
Raducanu was ranked outside the top 300 this time last year on her last appearance at the Nottingham Open and it’s been some 12 months since.
Both players are out on court and Raducanu will serve first in her first match on British soil since winning the US Open last September.
Nottingham Open 2022: Raducanu vs Golubic
12:37 , Jamie Braidwood
Raducanu’s last outing was her French Open second-round defeat to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Roland Garros, in what was the 19-year-old’s first appearance on the Paris clay. Raducanu came into the clay-court season with few expectations and viewed it as a learning experience, but you would imagine she will be desperate to get a tournament run back under her belt as she returns to grass. Raducanu has not advanced past the quarter-finals of a tournament since winning the US Open last September.
Game, set and match - Raducanu up next
12:25 , Jamie Braidwood
Maria Sakkari has just put the finishing touches on a 6-2 6-3 win over Camila Osorio, as the world No 5 and tournamant top seed progresses safely into the next round.
Sakkari and Raducanu have faced before in the quarter-finals of the US Open as the Greek player fell victim to Raducanu’s sensational run to the title in New York.
“She was very young and upcoming and she did something amazing because she came through qualies and won the entire thing,” Sakkari said ahead of this week’s tournament.
“I don’t really remember that match because it is more than eight months ago that we played. I remember she was fearless, she was going after every ball and that is what helped her win the tournament. She was confident and she was feeling it and she was enjoying herself on court.”
Sakkari’s win means Raducanu will be up next in Nottingham.
Raducanu on challenges of first year on WTA tour
12:18 , Jamie Braidwood
“I am not being so hard on myself and I am really, really enjoying my time right now and also believing in the work I am doing day in, day out,” Raducanu said. “I feel there are enough people who can do that job for me.
“Personally I think I know what I’m doing. I’m trusting what I’m doing and the work I’m doing. I’m still 19 and I’ve already won a grand slam so I can take my time and put things in place because I know my motivation isn’t any less.
“It is still as much but it isn’t always going to be smooth sailing where you just clean up every week. I trust what I do.
“I don’t think anyone would say, ‘I wish I didn’t wish a grand Slam at 18’ because that is what I set out to do when I started playing tennis – and I did that.
“For that to happen very soon definitely comes with a lot of challenges but managing, learning and growing through the adversities that I have faced, I would much rather have that, learn from those experiences and keep building and progressing.
“I am doing the work from that because I did it a bit backwards.”
Raducanu does not get enough credit for breakthrough year, Sakkari suggests
12:11 , Jamie Braidwood
World No 5 Maria Sakkari believes Emma Raducanu does not get enough credit as she tries to make her way on the WTA Tour.
Raducanu is doing things backwards as she triumphed at the US Open last year having never won a match at senior level on the women’s tour.
The teenager is celebrating 12 months on the WTA circuit this week when she returns to the Nottingham Open – the scene of her debut in June 2021.
And it has been tough going for the teenager, who has had a mixed time playing against seasoned pros and still adjusting to the physical demands of life on the road.
Sakkari, who was beaten by Raducanu in the quarter-finals of the US Open, says the British number one is going to need time.
Emma Raducanu does not get enough credit for breakthrough year, Maria Sakkari insists
Is the Nottingham Open on TV? Time, channel and how to watch
12:09 , Jamie Braidwood
When is the Nottingham Open?
The main draw got underway on Monday 6 June and the action will take place through to the finals on Sunday 12 June.
How can I watch it?
The action will be available to watch across the BBC, with streams available on the BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Raducanu reflects on ‘surreal’ year as she returns to Nottingham Open
12:09 , Jamie Braidwood
“It is where it started over for me and I am proud of what I have achieved over the last 12 months.
“It signifies the start of a journey for me. It wasn’t the most positive week results wise but I learned a lot and it definitely set me in good stead for the rest of the season. I felt I built on that every single week.
“I came back to Nottingham a week after for another tournament and that’s when I was told I had received my Wimbledon wild card.
“I was really pleased about that so it really does bring back some great memories.”
Emma Raducanu reflects on ‘surreal’ year as she returns to Nottingham Open
Raducanu reflects on ‘surreal’ year as she returns to Nottingham Open
12:08 , Jamie Braidwood
Emma Raducanu admits things have been a bit “surreal” over the last 12 months as she returns to the scene where it all began in Nottingham this week.
The teenager, fresh from completing her A Levels, made her debut WTA Tour appearance this time last year and no one could have predicted what was to happen in the following months.
After introducing herself to the nation with a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, she became a global star when she made history by winning the US Open in September.
When she lost that first-round match to Harriet Dart last June only people involved in British tennis knew of her, but now she returns to the midlands city to compete in the Rothesay Open a household name.
Asked if she could have imagined what was in store for her, she replied: “Definitely not, it was my first WTA Tour tournament so to come back 12 months later full circle knowing what happened is pretty surreal.”
Good afternoon
12:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Nottingham Open as Emma Raducanu returns to the British grass for the first time since her US Open triumph in her opening match against Viktorija Golubic. The 19-year-old has come full circle as she returns to the scene of her WTA Tour debut 12 months ago, which came just weeks after finishing her A-Levels.
Raducanu’s subsequent breakthrough at Wimbledon was followed by her remarkable victory in New York, and ahead of her homecoming at the All England Club later this month the British No 1 will look to get up to speed on the grass at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
“It is where it started over for me and I am proud of what I have achieved over the last 12 months,” Raducanu has said. “It signifies the start of a journey for me. It wasn’t the most positive week results wise but I learned a lot and it definitely set me in good stead for the rest of the season. I felt I built on that every single week.”
Raducanu, who is the No 2 seed at the tournament, behind the world No 5 Maria Sakkari, and faces a first career meeting with the 29-year-old Golubic. The Swiss player is ranked world No 55 but reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last year.
