A foot injury that popped up at the end of Emma Raducanu's 2025 season has lingered into 2026. The 2021 US Open champion was forced to withdraw from a highly anticipated match with Naomi Osaka at the United Cup on Sunday just hours before it was set to begin.
Team captain Tim Henman said that Raducanu's status for the rest of the event was "up in the air." After nonetheless beating Japan, Great Britain will next face Greece on Monday to decide the winner of Group E.
"We're kind of forced to put Emma on the list because if we didn't do that, then that only gives us one option," Henman said.
"The improvement that she's made has been fantastic," he added. "She's been practicing in London, really only doing static drills, to be out on the practice court and moving and playing games. She is very close."
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Osaka instead faced Katie Swan, the world No. 276, in the women's singles. Osaka won, 7-6(4), 6-1, but Great Britain took the tie on the strength of wins from Billy Harris, who himself slid in for singles after Jack Draper withdrew from the event shortly after Christmas, and the mixed doubles pair of Olivia Nicholls and Neal Skupski.