Emma Raducanu breaks silence after worrying withdrawal from Wuhan Open, where British star was seen slumped in chair amid searing heat

Emma Raducanu has broken her silence after falling victim to the brutal Wuhan heat and retiring from her first round match against Ann Li last week.

Wuhan had to suspend play on their outdoor courts due to extreme heat, and Raducanu shared a screenshot on his social media profiles implying that he was struggling to train in humid conditions where 34 degrees ‘felt like’ 37 degrees.

The 22-year-old struggled against Li and him from the first moment While they struggled to make it a competitive match, energy levels looked increasingly concerning heading into the second set.

Trailing 4-1 in the second minute, Raducanu requested a medical timeout and had his blood pressure checked on the field.

In worrying scenes, the former US Open champion collapsed in her chair during the process and looked set to be challenged by the conditions.

After his checks, Raducanu retired, shaking hands with Li and the referee before entering the field.

The 22-year-old was forced to retire with scores of 6-1, 4-1 last week and was seen slumped over in a chair

He spoke for the first time since his departure, writing on Threads: ‘Last day at the doctor in Wuhan… feeling better now.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t continue there, but thank you for your messages.’

Raducanu accompanied his message with a photo of himself in a hoodie and sunglasses at the referenced doctor’s office.

With his brief travails in Wuhan over, Raducanu is making time for a slightly underwhelming Asian release.

In a late move that shocked captain Anne Keothavong, the Briton opted to take part in last year’s final event, the Korea Open, rather than join her Billie Jean King Cup teammates in Shenzen.

But with ranking points to defend and the prospect of solidifying his budding relationship with new coach Francisco Roig, Raducanu was keen to stick to tour events and try to improve his place in the rankings.

However, a shrewd meeting with Barbora Krejcikova in the second round eliminated this possibility.

Britain’s No1 struggled to be competitive in brutal climbing temperatures

Raducanu will now have to decide whether he plans to finish his season and regain strength

Raducanu was eliminated in three sets in the second round as he could not convert match point in any of the three opportunities he received.

Frighteningly, Raducanu was defeated in almost identical fashion a week later in Beijing, where her hopes of a major success at the China Open were halted by Jessica Pegula.

Raducanu speaks fluent Mandarin, and his Chinese mother Renee travels with him during a tour where he desperately hopes to play his best tennis in front of scores of fans.

But Raducanu will now have to decide whether to continue at the WTA 500 event in Ningbo, China, or call her time in the 2025 season.