Raducanu Retires Injured Against Kasatkina in Korea Open Quarter-Final

British number two Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her Korea Open quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina due to a left foot injury.

Raducanu had struggled with the injury in the previous round against Yue Yuan and continued to appear uncomfortable against the Russian top seed. The 21-year-old was broken in the second game but managed to break back immediately. However, she struggled with her serve and found it difficult to chase returns, ultimately leading to a medical time out after the fifth game. Raducanu retired after losing the first set 6-1.

“I feel sorry for Emma,” said Kasatkina after the match. “It’s a pity to get injured, especially in the deeper stages of the tournament. I wish her a speedy recovery.”

Kasatkina went on to defeat fellow Russian Diana Shnaider 6-3 6-4 in the semi-finals, setting up a final clash with Beatriz Haddad Maia, who secured her spot with a 6-4 6-4 win over Vernika Kudermetova.

Injury Struggles Continue for Raducanu

Raducanu was hoping to beat Kasatkina and reach her first semi-final above WTA 250 level since her 2021 US Open victory. However, the world number 70 has faced numerous injuries since her triumph at Flushing Meadows. She played only nine matches in 2023 due to surgeries on both hands and her left ankle.

Despite a return at the start of 2024, which saw her reach the second round of the Australian Open, Raducanu skipped the French Open to focus on her fitness. She made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon, re-entering the top 100, but suffered a first-round exit at the US Open to Sofia Kenin.