Emma Raducanu’s chances of being fit for Wimbledon look to be in considerable doubt after the British number one cut short her practice session on Saturday.
The 23-year-old postponed her pre-tournament media shortly after quitting a practice set against Russian Anna Kalinskaya with 10 minutes remaining.
Raducanu, who is seeded 30th at the All England Club, is due to start her campaign on Monday against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Court One (13:00 BST).
The 2021 US Open champion did not train on Thursday and Friday because of what is believed to be a shin problem, but returned to the court on Saturday to test her fitness.
Wearing strapping around her lower right leg, Raducanu looked tentative in an hour with her team on the Aorangi Park practice courts, where her mobility was not overly tested.
From there she went straight to court three to hit with Kalinskaya, but lost four games in their practice set before deciding she could not continue.
Less than half an hour after departing the court, it was announced Raducanu’s news conference – which had been scheduled for about 16:00 on Saturday – had been cancelled.
Wimbledon organisers said her media duties are to be rearranged for Sunday.
Even if Raducanu is fit enough to play Ruzic, her disrupted preparation does not bode well for the rigours of a Grand Slam tournament.
She has been blighted by a series of injury problems since her fairytale US Open victory in New York five years ago, while a viral illness meant she only played six matches from early February to the start of Queen’s earlier this month.
Reaching the final in London – which she lost in straight sets to Croatia’s Donna Vekic – was a huge step in the right direction.
Raducanu demonstrated the aggressive brand of tennis which she is hoping to rediscover after reuniting with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to the US Open triumph before they parted ways immediately afterwards.
But playing five matches in six days – the most she had played since February – has taken its toll.