British teenage tennis star Emma Raducanu on Tuesday said her decision to retire mid-match in her fourth-round Wimbledon tie was based on medical advice after she “started to breathe heavily and felt dizzy”.
The 18-year-old Raducanu, whose unexpected progress at the major tournament had stunned fans, stopped playing while trailing in the second set of her match against Ajla Tomljanovic on Monday night.
Raducanu was visited by a trainer, then left the court for a medical timeout.
Eventually, the chair umpire announced Raducanu, who is of Chinese and Romanian heritage, would not continue because of a health issue, but did not specify why.
Explaining her withdrawal in a statement posted on social media, Raducanu said she had not been “well enough to carry on”.
“I was playing the best tennis of my life in front of an amazing crowd this week and I think the whole experience caught up with me. At the end of the first set, after some super intense rallies, I started to breathe heavily and felt dizzy,” she said.
“The medical team advised me not to continue and, although it felt like the hardest thing in the world not to be able to finish my Wimbledon on the court, I was not well enough to carry on.”
Raducanu, who is ranked 338 in the world and two months ago was sitting school exams, also said she was feeling “much better” as of Tuesday morning.
McEnroe remarks draw ire
Her statement came after former tennis ace John McEnroe and several others suggested Raducanu had pulled out of Monday’s match because she could not handle the pressure of the occasion – claims which sparked an immediate backlash.
“I feel bad for Emma, obviously,” McEnroe told viewers during the BBC’s broadcast of her last-16 match, adding: “It appears it got a bit too much, which is understandable.”
He then referred to Naomi Osaka, the four-time major champion who pulled out of the previous Grand Slam tournament, the French Open, and also missed Wimbledon because she said she needed a mental health break.
“How much can players handle? It makes you look at the guys that have been around and the girls for so long – how well they can handle it,” McEnroe said, adding he hoped Raducanu would “learn from this experience”.
The 62-year-old seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, who was known for angry outbursts on the court, regularly appears as an analyst on television coverage at the All England Club.
But Raducanu’s opponent, fellow British tennis player Andy Murray and an array of social media users were quick to criticise his comments.
Listening to the John McEnroe commentary about Emma Raducanu. Two things: 1. Is he drunk? 2. Is there anything more annoying than a man telling a woman she’s not hurt she’s just emotional? No, no there isn’t. Please ask him to stop. #Wimbledon
“I can’t imagine being in her shoes, at 18, playing a fourth round in your home country. It’s something I can’t even imagine,” Tomljanovic said, when asked about McEnroe’s remarks. “For him to say that, it’s definitely harsh.”
I didn’t realise John McEnroe was medically qualified or that he has X-ray vision! I hope Emma Raducanu is ok and wish her a speedy recovery. Did her country proud ????????
Murray said he thought some of what McEnroe had said was “fair” but criticised the timing of his remarks.
“It was a bit off considering nobody had any clue what her issue was injury/illness/breathing issues etc at the time of his comments,” he tweeted.
‘Very harsh’
Meanwhile, several social media users also slammed 56-year-old British broadcaster Piers Morgan, who offered his own commentary on the situation.
“Ms Raducuna’s [sic] a talented player but couldn’t handle the pressure & quit when she was losing badly. Not ‘brave’, just a shame,” tweeted Morgan, who recently quit a TV show after being challenged over his views.
“If I were her, I’d tell my fans to stop abusing McEnroe, & seek his advice on how to toughen up & become a champion like he was.”
I hear @piersmorgan is having a go at an 18 yr old girl tennis payer and telling her to toughen up. I wonder if he would have said this about Novak Djokovic, who also withdrew form tournaments with respiratory difficulties? pic.twitter.com/Fesf0qh4Lt
Wimbledon organisers, for their part, said they were “very sad” about Raducanu’s withdrawal and wished her “all the best with her recovery”.
“She should be commended for the poise and maturity she has shown throughout the Wimbledon fortnight and we very much look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year and in the years to come,” the tournament’s organisers said in a statement.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
