British tennis star Emma Raducanu’s preparations for the 2025 French Open took an unexpected hit this week, as the 22-year-old suffered a lower back injury during a second-round loss to American Danielle Collins at the Strasbourg Open. Despite a promising start and a gritty fightback in the third set, Raducanu fell short in a tense 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 battle—just days before stepping onto the clay at Roland Garros.
The match, which took place in Strasbourg on May 20, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in Raducanu’s clay-court campaign. With the French Open just around the corner, concerns now mount over her fitness and whether she’ll be at 100% for the season’s second Grand Slam.
A Bright Start That Dimmed Too Soon
Raducanu entered Strasbourg as a wildcard, aiming to fine-tune her clay-court game ahead of Paris. She had shown signs of resurgence recently, including an impressive opening-round win over world No. 17 Daria Kasatkina. Riding that momentum, Raducanu opened strong against Collins, breaking early for a 3-2 lead in the first set and frustrating the American with consistent baseline play.
The Brit won eight consecutive points at one stage, closing out the opening set 6-4 with just six unforced errors. Her body language was relaxed, and she even shared a few smiles with her coaching team during the changeovers—a sign that confidence was high and her game was clicking on clay.
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But things took a sharp turn in the second set.
Back Trouble Changes the Game
Collins came out firing in the second, breaking Raducanu twice and racing to a 5-0 lead. It wasn’t just the American’s raised level of play—it became evident that Raducanu was struggling physically. She called for the trainer and took a medical timeout off court to treat a lower back issue.
Though she returned and moved relatively freely for the remainder of the match, her momentum had evaporated. Collins closed out the set 6-1, capitalizing on Raducanu’s reduced intensity and inability to stay in long rallies.
The third set saw a fierce tug-of-war, with Raducanu clawing back from a break down and eventually leveling the score at 3-3 after converting her ninth break point. But her serve faltered late in the set, and Collins, showing her trademark mental toughness, broke twice to seal the win after two hours and 20 minutes of intense play.
What This Means Ahead of Roland Garros
The timing of the injury couldn’t be worse. With the 2025 French Open set to begin on May 26, questions now surround Raducanu’s health and readiness. While she didn’t appear to be in visible pain post-timeout, lower back issues are notoriously difficult to assess in real-time—and could pose a lingering threat, especially on the physically demanding clay surface.
For Raducanu, 2025 had begun to look like a turning point. After a turbulent 2023 and a rebuilding 2024 season, she had shown signs of stability and improvement. Her run to the fourth round in Rome earlier this month, where she won three consecutive clay-court matches for the first time in her career, suggested she was adapting well to the surface.
Her opening win in Strasbourg further confirmed this upward trend. But the injury scare brings uncertainty back into the equation—casting a shadow over what had otherwise been a promising European swing.
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Danielle Collins Continues Her Red-Hot Form
Danielle Collins, meanwhile, continues to make headlines. The American, currently ranked just outside the WTA top 10, recently stunned world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in Rome and looks to be peaking at the right time. Her aggressive baseline game and physical fitness have made her a dark horse heading into Roland Garros.
In Strasbourg, Collins’ road to the quarterfinals now pits her against either top-seeded Jessica Pegula or Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya. With her current momentum, she’s a strong contender not just for the Strasbourg title, but for a deep run in Paris as well.
The Bigger Picture in Strasbourg
The 2025 Strasbourg Open has become an important final stop for several WTA stars looking to sharpen their clay-court games. In addition to Collins, players like Paula Badosa, Liudmila Samsonova, Emma Navarro, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Elena Rybakina, and Magda Linette are all still in contention, making for a compelling lead-up to the French Open.
For Raducanu, Strasbourg was meant to be a confidence builder—one last dress rehearsal before the Grand Slam stage. Instead, it turned into another test of her resilience.
British Tennis Watch
Back in Paris, rain has disrupted the French Open qualifying rounds. British players Dan Evans and Fran Jones were among those whose second-round matches were postponed, with Thursday now set to be a busy day of rescheduled action. British hopes remain high for a strong showing in both men’s and women’s singles draws.
Raducanu, as the most high-profile British woman in the main draw, will be the center of attention. The question now is: will she be physically ready?
Emma Raducanu’s journey continues to be a compelling mix of brilliance and adversity. The 2025 Strasbourg Open was another chapter in that story—filled with promise, but once again clouded by physical setbacks.
While her first set against Collins was a reminder of her immense talent and tactical clarity, the back injury is a harsh reminder of the fragility that’s plagued her career since her breakout 2021 US Open win.
All eyes will now be on Roland Garros, where Raducanu’s presence—and performance—will say a lot about where she truly stands in her comeback journey. One thing is certain: her story still matters, and the tennis world is watching.
