Emma Raducanu's decision not to play qualifying round at Cincinnati Open explained

One of the members close to the coaching staff, Emma Raducanu, explained her decision not to play in the Cincinnati Open. The 21-year-old was once regarded as one of the most highly-rated players in women’s tennis in the singles category when she won the US Open at 18 in 2021.

That triumph was even more special, considering that Raducanu started the competition through the qualifying round. Even then, she went on to beat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3. However, since then, not much has gone right for Raducanu, who has consistently struggled with fitness concerns.

The Toronto-born star has recently decided to skip the ongoing Cincinnati Open after being denied a direct entry in the main round of the competition. The sister of Raducanu’s coach was recently quoted in a report where she explained the primary reason why the former world number 10 decided not to participate in the tournament. “I think viewing it as extra matches, she got some wins in Washington, pretty happy with the level. Body feeling it a touch, trying to keep that managed,” she said.

Former Britain’s number one Laura Robson also expressed her opinion that the decision might well be a tough one considering that the primary focus is to keep the momentum going, especially just before the start of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year. “It’s a tough one because you want to keep the momentum,” she said. The US Open 2024 will begin from August 26 where players from all over the world will participate. Raducanu’s most recent appearance came during the Citi Open where she was knocked out of the tournament after losing in the quarterfinal to Spain’s Paula Badosa with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. After that, she decided not to take part in the Canadian Open as well after being denied a direct entry.