Emma Raducanu Miami Open: 2021 US Open winner pulls out of tournament just a day before her opening match

British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Miami Open just a day before her scheduled clash with China's Wang Xiyu in the first round of competition. 

The 21-year-old, who famously burst onto the scene with her US Open victory three years ago, has sustained a lower back injury. Her management team claim that the issue is nothing serious, but something they do not want to risk aggravating after a long layoff.

The news come as a huge blow to Raducanu's come back after an injury ravaged 2023, and it is not yet known whether the problem will impact her chances of selection for Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup squad for their qualifier with France on 12-13 April. As it stands, Raducanu's has three and a half weeks to recover and prepare for the start of another clay court season.

Raducanu had only recently made her return to the court in January following an eight month absence which saw her have operations on both of her wrists and left ankle.

Prior to her defeat against Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka last week, she had been showing signs of returning to form and recorded back to back victories for the first time in over 12 months.

In the meantime, Britons Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jack Draper and Katie Boulter are preparing to kick start their tournaments in Miami later today.

Murray, a two-time winner in Florida, will face Italian Matteo Berrettini in the first round on Wednesday, with the winner taking on Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round.

Draper, 22, takes on Taro Daniel of Japan, while 33-year-old Evans faces Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

British number ones Norrie and Boulter play on Friday, as the pair have both received a first-round bye as one of the 32 men's and women's seeded players.