Injured Raducanu withdraws from Beijing Open

Emma Raducanu is back on the verge of the world's top 50 after missing most of last season through injury

Emma Raducanu has pulled out of this week's China Open in Beijing because of a foot injury.

The 21-year-old Briton had to retire injured from her Korea Open quarter-final in Seoul on Saturday because of the issue.

Raducanu's name appeared in the Beijing draw when it was released on Monday before she withdrew shortly afterwards.

"I sprained some ligaments in my foot which unfortunately need some more time to heal," she wrote on X.

"It means I can't play in Beijing but I hope to be back competing as soon as I can."

The world number 54 was due to face a qualifier in the first round, with Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen potentially waiting in the next round.

In Seoul, Raducanu took a medical timeout after five games against Russia's Daria Kasatkina and decided to stop after losing the opening set.

The British number two, who famously won the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier, is next scheduled to play in Wuhan, China on 7 October.

Setback comes with Raducanu on verge of top 50

After beating Yue Yuan in the last 16 in Korea, Raducanu said she had been "nursing a few niggles" in the past couple of months but added she had more "trust" in her body.

"I've been working hard - especially at the start of the year and the mid part of the year - physically," said Raducanu, whose highest ever world ranking is 10th.

Raducanu missed the bulk of last season after needing surgery on both wrists and her left ankle, returning at the start of this year and making a steady climb back up the rankings.

Winning two matches in Seoul against American Peyton Stearns and China's Yue - both ranked higher - has moved her back on the verge of the world's top 50.

It is Raducanu's highest position since August 2022 - when the points from her New York triumph were wiped off.

Raducanu has played 33 matches on the WTA Tour this season, which is three short of her tally in 2022 - the most she has played in a single season.

The Korea Open was her first tournament since losing in the first round of US Open on 28 August.

Raducanu played just one tournament between Wimbledon in July and the US Open, saying afterwards in a tearful news conference it was a "lesson to learn" about her scheduling.