Emma Raducanu will miss out on two lucrative exhibition events due to an injury problem, but her recovery is expected to be swift.
Raducanu has signed up to play against Wimbledon and US Open runner-up Amanda Anisimova in two matches in Newark and Miami in early December, but promoters confirmed she has been replaced by Jessica Pegula.
Reports suggest Raducanu is nursing bone bruising on her foot after her season was brought to a premature conclusion due to health and injury issues.
There are suggestions from Raducanu’s camp that the injury concern for Raducanu is not serious and she is expected to proceed with plans for a pre-season training block in Spain over the next few days.
The decision to pull out of the exhibition matches will be a financial blow to Raducanu, who could have been expected to collect a six-figure sum for the matches in America.
Her decision not to compete confirms she is eager to start 2026 in the best physical condition possible, as she looks to secure a seeded position for the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open.
Raducanu has moved up to No 29 in the WTA Rankings after a solid year of progress for the player who toasted her 23rd birthday last week.
Now she will be keen to push on to the next level in the new year, as she told Tennis365 in an interview conducted at the Wuhan Open last month.
“It is a target of mine to try and be seeded in Australia and do my best to be in that position,” Raducanu told Tennis365.
“I think the higher you can go, the better, maybe probability you have to make progress. But even still, you can be seeded and play one of these top players who are now seeded.
“It really depends on the luck of the draw. It’s just doing the best you can in that situation, giving yourself a better chance.
“I think I’ve just been happy with the improvements in the last few weeks I’ve made in my game, and I just want to keep going with that.”
Raducanu is still expected to play in the United Cup event as she looks to kick-start her 2026 season in Australia, where she will team up with a returning Jack Draper in a strong Great Britain team.
