Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is grappling with her greatest fear—recurring injuries—as she steps onto the clay courts of Roland Garros for the 2025 French Open, which began on May 25, 2025. The 22-year-old British No. 2, ranked No. 43, suffered a worrying back injury scare just days before the tournament during a second-round loss to Danielle Collins at the Strasbourg Open on May 21, 2025. Despite concerns, Raducanu has confirmed her participation and faces China’s Wang Xinyu in the first round, with a potential blockbuster second-round clash against four-time champion Iga Swiatek looming. Her ongoing battle with back spasms, a recurring issue that has plagued her career, tests her resilience as she seeks to capitalize on her improving clay-court form and overcome the physical setbacks that threaten her Grand Slam aspirations.
Strasbourg Setback Raises Alarms
Raducanu’s latest injury concern surfaced during her 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Collins in Strasbourg, where she required a medical timeout for lower back spasms while trailing 5-0 in the second set. In a candid post-match press conference, reported by Sportskeeda on May 22, 2025, a visibly emotional Raducanu shared, “I felt it after the first round [against Daria Kasatkina]. I’ve had bad back problems before; at the start of the year, I was out for a few months because of it. I get these spasms, and they are quite intense and can last quite a long time. It’s annoying, it’s frustrating.” She noted the discomfort began mid-first set, escalating to the point where the second set was a “write-off,” though treatment enabled her to compete more effectively in the third, per The Telegraph.
Despite the pain, Raducanu displayed tenacity, pushing Collins in a competitive third set where she missed four break points for a 3-1 lead, falling after a two-hour, 20-minute battle. Her team reassured The Daily Mail on May 22, 2025, that the spasms had subsided, and she was en route to Paris, signaling her intent to compete at Roland Garros. However, her history of back issues, which sidelined her for months in early 2025, amplifies fears about her ability to endure the physical demands of a seven-match Grand Slam run.
A Career Shadowed by Injuries
Injuries have been Raducanu’s most formidable adversary since her fairy-tale 2021 US Open victory, where, as an 18-year-old qualifier, she became the first player to win a Major without dropping a set, defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3. A 2023 Guardian article highlighted her “frail body” as a concern since her junior days, with frequent niggles disrupting her progress. Since 2021, she has battled wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023, which kept her out for eight months, a 2022 ankle sprain, and persistent back and wrist issues. These forced withdrawals from the 2023 French Open, 2023 Madrid Open (wrist), and 2024 French Open qualifying (fitness focus), per CNN and Evening Standard. A 2022 Italian Open retirement due to a back injury further underscores the chronic nature of her challenges.
Her injury struggles have limited her Grand Slam success, with no progress beyond the second round at the Australian or French Opens and just five Major match wins from 2022 to 2024. Her 66% career win rate (116-61) and 3-9 record against top-10 players reflect the difficulty of maintaining consistency amid physical setbacks. Fans on X, like @RaducanuNews, expressed cautious optimism, posting, “Hoping Emma’s back holds up at Roland Garros,” while @TimesSport voiced concerns about her “fragile physical state” entering the tournament.
Rising Clay-Court Form Offers Hope
Despite her injury woes, Raducanu has shown significant progress on clay in 2025, a surface she told BBC Sport she is “building a relationship with.” Accepting a wildcard into Strasbourg for match practice, she delivered a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win over world No. 17 Daria Kasatkina on May 20, 2025, marking her first top-20 clay victory, per The Guardian. This followed a career-best fourth-round run at the Italian Open, where she defeated Maria Sakkari and Veronika Kudermetova before falling to Coco Gauff. Earlier highlights include a third-round Australian Open appearance and a Miami Open quarterfinal, her best WTA 1000 result.
Under coach Mark Petchey, who previously guided Andy Murray, and physical trainer Yutaka Nakamura, Raducanu has honed her aggressive flat groundstrokes and clay movement, posting a 7-4 clay record in 2025, a leap from her 2-3 in 2022, her only prior Roland Garros outing (second-round loss to Aliaksandra Sasnovich). Her decision to play Strasbourg, though risky, aimed to build momentum, but the injury scare prompted debate, with The Telegraph noting top players typically avoid such events before Majors.
French Open Test and Mental Fortitude
Raducanu’s first-round opponent, Wang Xinyu (No. 42), defeated her at Wimbledon 2021 (6-3, 6-4) when Raducanu retired due to breathing difficulties, adding stakes to their rematch. A victory could lead to Swiatek, against whom Raducanu is 0-2, including a 6-4, 6-4 loss in Stuttgart 2024. The challenging draw, reported by The Guardian on May 23, 2025, demands physical and mental resilience. Caroline Wozniacki’s recent backing, per Tennis365 on May 23, 2025, bolsters her confidence: “She’s proven she can win the US Open, and if you can do it once, you can do it again.”
In Strasbourg, Raducanu’s post-match candor revealed her frustration but also resolve. “I’ll just try and make it better,” she said of her back, per Sports Illustrated, noting the spasms’ intensity. Her ability to fight in the third set against Collins, despite pain, and her playful demeanor with her team, per BBC Sport, signal growing mental strength. Sky Sports’ Jonathan Overend praised her relaxed press conference presence, predicting she could “get close to winning” a Major again, per Tennis365 on February 5, 2025.
Outlook Amid Uncertainty
Raducanu’s French Open campaign is a pivotal moment to conquer her injury fears. Her team’s assurance that the back pain has eased, per The Daily Mail, and her competitive Strasbourg effort suggest the issue may not immediately derail her. However, her history of withdrawals, like the 2023 Madrid Open and 2024 French Open qualifying, looms large. Posts on X, like @Tennis_Updates5’s injury update, reflect fan concern, but @RaducanuNews lauded her “fighting spirit,” urging support for Paris.
To thrive at Roland Garros, Raducanu must manage her physical condition while leveraging her clay improvements. Her 2021 US Open triumph, achieved with minimal physical toll, remains a testament to her potential, but as The Guardian noted in 2023, elite tennis exposes her vulnerabilities. A run beyond her second-round best would affirm Wozniacki’s faith and mark a triumph over her greatest fear—her own body. For now, Raducanu’s battle at the 2025 French Open is as much against her physical limits as her opponents, with the tennis world watching her resilience.
