‘It’s too soon’ – Emma Raducanu pulls out of key Australian Open warm-up event

Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Melbourne Summer Set claiming she is not yet ready to resume competition.

Raducanu was set to play in the event as a warm-up for the Australian Open, which begins on January 17th.

However, the US Open champion has opted to skip the event instead.

It is the latest in a hugely disrupted close season for the 19-year-old.

She was due to play in an exhibition event in Aby Dhabi last month but was forced to pull out after contracting COVID.

“The timing to compete in the first Melbourne event this week is too soon for me, having just returned from isolation,” Raducanu explained.

There was better news for Raducanu though as she received an MBE in the UK’s New Year’s Honours List in recognition of her stunning US Open triumph last year.

The Australian Open will be only the third Grand Slam event of Raducanu’s career and her first Down Under.

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