Francesca jones

Former US Open: Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew from the Kooyong Classic on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after she cancelled a charity match in Melbourne.

The echoes of her triumphant 2021 victory were met with concerns about her fitness after withdrawing from a second warm-up match.

Raducanu's decision to pull out of the Kooyong Classic came hot on the heels of canceling a charity match against Naomi Osaka, who also withdrew as a precautionary measure. The British star, who had grappled with ankle and wrist injuries in the previous year, seemed to be battling a sore back during her recent appearance at the ASB Classic in Auckland.