British tennis player Emma Raducanu was seen enjoying a night out with friends yesterday after she was photographed leaving Gaia in Mayfair. The snaps come as the tennis ace – who was recently forced to pull out of the Miami Open with a back injury – confirmed she will be back on court next week at the Billie Jean King Cup in France.
Emma was seen smiling during the intimate night out, and dressed casually but stylishly in white straight cut trousers with a matching white shirt. She paired the all-white ensemble with a black jacket, and a pair of sports chic flat maroon loafers. Meanwhile, she opted for a fresh-faced look, and wore her long black tresses loose, letting them tumble down her back.
Tennis ace Emma Raducanu (pictured, right) is seen leaving Gaia in Mayfair with friends during a night out in London
The athlete’s evening out follows news that she will be back on court next week – despite recently having to pull out of the Miami Open with a back injury
Her evening out comes days after she celebrated her friend Simone Ashley’s 29th birthday in an intimate bash. Simone is best known for playing Kate Sharma in Bridgerton series two and Olivia Hanan in Sex Education. Emma’s outing also comes after she withdrew from the Miami Open last month.
Commenting on the move, she said: ‘I have been experiencing lower back pain and at this stage of my return to competition I don’t want to risk anything happening. ‘I really tried my best to be ready and I’m sad to be pulling out of Miami as it’s a cool tournament but wish the event all the best.’
The tennis star shot to fame while making her Wimbledon debut at 18-years-old. Then, in 2021, she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed over Leylah Fernandez in the final in New York to win the US Open. However, since then, she has been beset with injuries that have seen her struggle to maintain her winning form.
The former US Open champion spent the second half of last year recovering from ankle and wrist surgery that saw her side-lined from May, the latest in a long line of injury problems since winning at Flushing Meadows in 2021. And her tough few years have been punctuated by a series of coaching changes.Nine in total, which have raised doubts over her focus.
She made her return at the start of this year and showed promising signs by making the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. Emma’s withdrawal in Miami cast doubt over her availability for Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie with France on April 12-13. But according to the Express, Emma has been ‘back training on clay at the National Tennis Centre before the tie’ which will take place on April 12-13 near Boulogne in preparation for competing.
