Emma Raducanu and Rafael Nadal on lengthy listing of prime stars to overlook Wimbledon
While Novak Djokovic continues to chase extra historical past at Wimbledon and Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina attempt to combat off the remainder of the pack, a number of prime tennis stars will likely be absent from SW19 this 12 months. Emma Raducanu and Rafael Nadal are among the many most notable. The house favorite underwent three surgical procedures final month whereas the Spaniard is sidelined with an damage. Express Sport appears to be like in any respect the massive names lacking Wimbledon this 12 months.
Emma Raducanu
Two years after she made her Grand Slam debut at SW19 as a wildcard, Raducanu has already skilled the highs and lows of the sport at simply 20 years outdated. In 2021 she reached the fourth spherical because the world No 338 shortly after finishing her A Levels and weeks later she grew to become the primary qualifier to win a Major on the US Open. But she has struggled with wrist accidents since final summer time and operated on both – plus her ankle – last month so will likely be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Rafael Nadal
This time final 12 months, Nadal got here into Wimbledon having gained the primary two Majors of 2022. But he injured his stomach and barely performed for the remainder of the season. Returning in Australia, he picked up a psoas damage and hasn’t performed since. Nadal underwent arthroscopic surgery at the start of June and beforehand admitted that 2024 will likely be his last season before he retires.
Naomi Osaka
The four-time Major champion hasn’t performed a match since September and hasn’t appeared at Wimbledon since 2019 when she was No 2 on the planet. At the beginning of the 12 months, Osaka introduced that she was pregnant however supposed to make a comeback at subsequent 12 months’s Australian Open. She not too long ago revealed that she and her associate Cordae will likely be having a lady.
Angelique Kerber
A former champion on the All England Club again in 2018, Kerber is one other participant who has been sidelined by being pregnant and motherhood. The former world No 1 introduced her being pregnant final summer time and gave start to a lady in February of this 12 months. She not too long ago appeared on the Bad Homburg Open to play some doubles with now-retired Andrea Petkovic and reaffirmed her intentions to return in Australia in January.
Garbine Muguruza
Another former world No 1 and former Wimbledon champion – in 2017 – Muguruza introduced that she can be taking a number of months away from the game at the beginning of the 12 months. The Spaniard performed her most up-to-date match in January and hasn’t earned a victory since September. “Spending time with family and friends and it’s really been healthy and amazing. So I am going to lengthen this period till summer, therefore I am going to miss clay and grass season,” she wrote on Instagram in April.
Marin Cilic
The finalist in 2018 and a Grand Slam champion on the 2014 US Open, Cilic has been battling a knee damage that he picked up within the first week of the season. He initially hoped to return on the grass however confirmed his withdrawal from Wimbledon earlier this week and mentioned: “Things have generally been going well the last few weeks with my post-surgery training so I’m staying positive and focused on my long-term recovery. I hope that I’ll be competing very soon.”
Amanda Anisimova
After an early loss in Madrid final month, the 21-year-old introduced that she can be taking an indefinite break from tennis for her psychological well being. She loved a breakthrough on the 2019 French Open aged simply 17, defeating reigning champion Simona Halep en path to the semi-final. But Anisimova not too long ago mentioned that it had turn out to be “unbearable” being at tournaments as she steps again from competitors.