Raducanu forced to quit Wuhan Open match amid sweltering heat

WEB DESK: British number one Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her opening match at the Wuhan Open on Monday after struggling with dizziness in sweltering conditions.

The world number 30 was trailing 6-1, 4-1 against American Ann Li when she called for the trainer to check her blood pressure and temperature. Shortly after, she retired from the match, with the WTA confirming dizziness as the reason. It marked the first time since Indian Wells in March that Raducanu failed to advance past the opening round of a tournament.

Temperatures in Wuhan reached 34°C, forcing play to be suspended on all outdoor courts earlier in the day. Raducanu later shared a screenshot of the temperature on her phone, suggesting the extreme heat had affected her performance.

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The 2021 US Open champion had started strongly, breaking Li in the opening game. However, Li quickly gained control, winning six straight games to take the first set in just 28 minutes. Fatigue appeared to take its toll on Raducanu, who committed several unforced errors before conceding two breaks in the second set.

“I hope she feels better,” Li said after the match. “You could tell she wasn’t moving as much towards the end.”

Raducanu’s early exit is a setback to her hopes of improving her ranking ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. Li will now face ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round.