Emma Raducanu match cancelled hours before start as she’s handed new opponent at last minute

Emma Raducanu’s match against Elisabetta Cocciaretto has been cancelled after the Italian player withdrew due to an injury.

The Brit’s opponent, Cocciaretto, pulled out just hours before the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships round of 64 was about to start.

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The Italian has been on a roll recently, beating world No5, Coco Gauff in Doha last week on her way to the quarter-finals.

She played six matches last week in Doha with a majority lasting over three hours, but it seemed the fatigue has caught up.

Raducanu has now had her opponent rescheduled with the tennis star playing against a new opponent, Antonia Ruzic.

The tournament organisers have had a stressful start to the competition, with Ruzic being the sixth person who had lost her qualifier but now has been put into the main draw.

The Brit’s new opponent lost in the semi-final of the qualification event last Friday, but has been drafted back in to the tournament.

Raducanu is looking to bounce back after retiring mid-game in the Qatar open against Camila Osorio last Monday.

She won the first set 6-2, yet lost the second 6-4, in the third she called out her trainer and asked to have her blood pressure taken.

Only two days prior, Raducanu had competed in her first final since her maiden grand slam win at the US Open in 2021.

She was beaten 6-0, 6-2 by Romanian, Sorana Cirtsea in the Transylvania Open final, with the game over in just under an hour.

The world No25 told BBC Sport after her defeat: “I’ve already been battling a bit of a chest infection, but that [semi-final] match took it out of me extra.

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“So today, I was pretty gassed from the start. But I would much rather have this situation than have lost that match and not played today and be part of the final.”

Additionally, the last time Raducanu had a match in Dubai, she was left in tears after a certain spectator showed up.

She played against Karolina Muchova, where she lost in straight sets and after the game the WTA released a statement.

The 22-year-old approached the umpire’s chair in tears mid-game with Raducanu saying he had tried to address in person before.

“On Monday, February 17, Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour.

“This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and subsequently ejected.

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“He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.”

The man who was handed a restraining order was still caught applying for Wimbledon tickets last year, but he was blocked.

The man had previously attended multiple matches internationally including tournaments held in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Doha.

The Brit has the opportunity to close in on the No24 placed seed, Qinwen Zheng, as she will gain 55 ranking points if she reaches the third round.

Raducanu will play her match on Monday at midday against Ruzic in Dubai.