Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the German Open tournament in Berlin.
The British tennis player was scheduled to compete in the event starting next Wednesday, June 18th.
However, the 22-year-old has decided to withdraw as a precautionary measure to rest her back before Wimbledon.
On Friday, Raducanu exited the Queen`s quarter-finals, losing in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to Chinese top seed Qinwen Zheng.
Raducanu, currently the British No.1, disclosed that she has been dealing with back pain since competing in Strasbourg in May, where her run ended in the round of 16.
She commented: “My back has been bothering me since Strasbourg; it`s been intermittent. I`ve managed it reasonably well recently, but playing more matches, even doubles, seems to challenge it. I felt it more as the intensity increased. I received treatment and taping for stability, plus painkillers. It`s been an ongoing issue for weeks, and I`ve had back problems previously. It`s a known vulnerability, and I understand the need to manage it carefully.”
The former US Open champion also inadvertently broke a lesser-known rule during her match against Zheng.
While her opponent took a lengthy break to change shoes, Raducanu practiced serves on court.
This action violated a rule that permits players to practice serves only before the match begins.
Despite Raducanu`s withdrawal, the Berlin tournament field remains strong with many top-ranked players.
Among them are World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and French Open winner Coco Gauff.
The only player from the world`s top 10 singles ranking not participating is five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, who is sidelined with shoulder discomfort.
Raducanu is, however, anticipated to compete at Eastbourne later this month.
Wimbledon is scheduled to start on June 30th.
She has not advanced beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon previously.
This year, she will compete for a significantly larger prize pot, as the singles winner`s prize money has been increased to £3 million.
