British number two Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her first round match against Robin Montgomery at the Auckland Open.
World number 56 Raducanu, who reached the round of 16 in the last two editions of the tournament, said she had “tried my best to be ready” after withdrawing.
“I love Auckland and the fans here, but unfortunately I had a little hiccup and I won’t be ready in time,” added the 2021 US Open winner.
Australian Open 2025: Will Raducanu play?
Raducanu’s next match will now almost certainly be at the Australian Open, which begins on January 12, with the women’s final on January 25.
Her ranking means she will not be seeded at the first Grand Slam of the year, where she will make her fourth consecutive appearance.
The 22-year-old was knocked out in the second round in each of those three previous campaigns. His only run beyond the second round at a major tournament since his triumph in New York was a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon 2024.
Raducanu’s injuries
Now working with fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura, Raducanu’s main concern may be a lack of competitive preparation after playing just three matches since spraining his foot ligaments in September.
All three competitions resulted in victories for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup final, and Raducanu also suffered a first-round defeat at the 2024 US Open that month to current world number 81 Sofia Kenin.
Raducanu returned to the tour last January after an eight-month absence, including operations on her wrists and left ankle.
She withdrew from the Miami Open in March due to lower back pain, saying she didn’t “want to risk anything happening.”
Auckland Open: Burrage passes
World number 24 Katie Boulter is the British number one, while there is a British presence at the Auckland Open in the form of Jodie Burrage.
The British number seven and world number 179 lost in qualifying but earned a place in the main draw after Belgian Elise Mertens suffered an injury.
Burrage took advantage with a 6-3 6-3 victory over New Zealand’s Vivian Yang, adding that her appearance was a short-term surprise on a “crazy day”.
