Emma Raducanu, visibly exhausted, had to have her blood pressure checked during a medical timeout before retiring in the Wuhan Open first round against Ann Li, trailing 6-1 4-1. The match took place on a humid afternoon with temperatures nearing 35°C.
The British player, ranked 30th globally, initially broke Li’s serve but soon faltered, winning only seven points for the remainder of the set.
Raducanu managed to hold her serve at the beginning of the second set but then lost the subsequent four games.
“I hope Emma recovers quickly. It seemed she wasn’t feeling well,” commented world number 46, Li.
Due to the heat, all outdoor matches were suspended on Monday. Raducanu shared a screenshot of her phone showing a temperature of 34°C on social media.
Meanwhile, at the Shanghai Masters, men’s world number two Jannik Sinner retired due to cramping on Sunday. The ATP is considering implementing a formal heat rule.
