Raducanu pulls out after 3 hour 36 minute struggle due to injury in Guadalajara

After failing to serve out the match in the second set, Raducanu was forced to retire late in the third set due to a hip injury

Britain’s Emma Raducanu at the 2022 Australian Open Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

February 23, 2022

WTA 250 Guadalajra | Draws | Schedule

US Open champion Emma Raducanu’s first match since the Australian Open ended in a disappointing retirement after a three-hour 36-minute struggle against Australia’s Daria Saville in the first round of the WTA Abierto Akron Zapopan in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Raducanu started the match well, leading by a set and a break, and served for the match at 5-3 in the second set before Saville, who went by the name of Daria Gavrilova before her recent wedding to ATP pro Luke Saville, fought her way back to force a decider.

With Saville, a former world No 20, leading 5-7, 7-6, 4-3, the 19-year-old Brit was decided to retire from the match due to a left hip injury. At 3 hours and 36 minutes, this was the longest WTA match of the season.

This was Raducanu’s first match since her second round loss at the Australian Open to Danka Kovinic, during which she suffered from a hand blister.