Opportunities to play in a tournament come every year, but your health should always come first.
Emma Raducanu learnt this the hard way when she was forced to retire from her first-round match against Ann Li at the Wuhan Open.
Feeling weak and dizzy, Raducanu took a medical timeout while trailing 6-1, 4-1, showing just how important it is to listen to your body during an intense competition.
The British No. 1 started strong by breaking Ann Li’s serve in the very first game, but her momentum quickly faded as she lost the next six games, dropping the first set in just 28 minutes.
Li took control of the match with powerful hitting, while Raducanu struggled physically and began to make more unforced errors.
Early in the second set, Raducanu showed signs of discomfort, hitting four double faults and appearing in pain as she bent over between points, suggesting she might not be able to continue.
Still, she managed to hold serve, showing determination despite her condition.
But the pressure from Li didn’t ease, as she took the next four games in a row. Raducanu then called for her trainer, who checked her blood pressure and temperature, indicating possible illness or fatigue.
Shortly after the check-up, Raducanu walked to the net and retired from the match, giving Li the win.
On Wednesday, Ann Li will face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round of the tournament at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center.
Li is eager to get her revenge after Alexandrova defeated her earlier this year on April 2 at the Credit One Charleston Open,6-3, 6-0.
This upcoming match gives Li a chance to prove herself and turn the tables on her previous loss.
Addressing the media after her victory against Emma, the American tennis star said, “I want to wish Emma a fast recovery. It looks like she wasn’t feeling good.
“It was a tough match last time, so hopefully she feels better. I’m happy with my performance, I stayed pretty solid for the entire match.”
