EMMA RADUCANU was knocked out of Wimbledon – the last Brit to exit the two singles draws – following a painful slip on Centre Court.
A 6-2 5-7 6-2 defeat to Lulu Sun in the Last 16 means Raducanu’s hopes of winning the title will have to be deferred until next year.
After doing so well to level up at 1-1 with the New Zealand qualifier, the Brit crashed to the floor while retrieving a shot at the baseline in game one of the third set.
Instantly, she mouthed “not good” to her team and she took a three-minute medical timeout to try to resolve or soften the problem.
The physio examined her left ankle – the one which she had surgery on in May 2023 – and knee before massaging her lower back, which she had been touching and stretching during the second set.
To her credit, she went back out on court, played through the pain barrier, hit some excellent forehand winners and decided not to retire when she could have easily done so.
Sun, who is making her debut this year in the main draw, went about her business stoically and stayed strong after an immediate break of serve despite tightening up in the final game.
At two hours and 50 minutes, this was the longest match of Raducanu’s career in Wimbledon whites but one day she will hope for a break and no physical disadvantage.
Since winning the US Open three years ago, she has been plagued with a long list of injuries and physical setbacks and this was an untimely reminder of how fragile her frame is.
The Kent player can now spend some time resting at home after deciding to snub a spot with Team GB at the Paris Olympics in favour of the US hardcourt swing.
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Raducanu, who is not used to playing on Sundays, had been trying to become the seventh British woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals in the Open Era.
A path trod by the likes of Sue Barker, Jo Durie, Ann Jones, Jo Konta, Virginia Wade and Winnie Woolridge.
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Her departure means there are no British players left in the singles competitions despite 19 starting in the first rounds.
The decision on Saturday to withdraw from a Box Office pairing with Andy Murray to rest her stiff wrist and prioritise solo action divided opinion among tennis circles.
Some critics, like Judy Murray, thought it was an “astonishing” decision to pull out so late, especially as she had agreed to the combo in the first place.
Others felt we should all cut her some slack, given that the 21-year-old had double wrist surgery 14 months ago and there was £2.7million on the line this fortnight.
But the fact she was able to survive as long as she did only justified to her supporters the call not to play the hit-and-giggle contest with the retiring Scotsman.
Had she ended up playing so late in the night, then it is likely she would have probably gone down in straight sets to Sun, who is having the run of her life.
PRIZE MONEY for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships is a new record – and puts the grass-court Slam at the top of the tree.
The All England Club will dish out £50million across all the events – an increase of £5.3m and 11.9 per cent on last year, where singles champions Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova picked up £2.35m each.
However, the king and queen of grass this July will collect an extra £350,000 – taking the winner’s earnings to £2.7m.
Here is the breakdown for the 2024 Wimbledon singles prize money:
