Emma Raducanu will not be part of Great Britain’s squad for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which are set to take place in Shenzhen, China, later this September. The British No.1 was the most conspicuous omission when captain Anne Keothavong announced a team that includes Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage. Raducaru’s absence is not a surprise to those who have followed her recent injury saga.
The 23‑year‑old has not competed since the middle of June, when she produced a career‑best performance on grass by reaching the final at the Queen’s Club Championships. That run was abruptly halted when a stress fracture in the lower right leg forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon, ending her season prematurely. In the six weeks since that injury, Raducanu has been confined to rehabilitation and has not taken the court in a competitive match.
While the British team’s official statement did not cite a specific reason for her exclusion, the timing suggests that her ongoing recovery played a decisive role. Raducanu was also left out of the squad that secured a qualifying victory over Australia in April, despite being fit at that time, indicating that the captain may have been planning ahead for the finals.
The tournament regulations allow each nation to add a fifth player closer to the start date, which runs from September 22‑27, but as of now no further changes have been announced. The omission raises fresh concerns about Raducanu’s readiness for the upcoming US Open, the Grand Slam she famously won as a teenager in 2021. The US Open begins on August 30 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. If her leg has not healed fully, the prospect of competing in a two‑week, hard‑court marathon could be jeopardised, potentially prompting another withdrawal.
Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup campaign continues without her. In Raducanu’s stead, the team defeated Japan to secure a third consecutive semi‑final appearance, only to be knocked out by the United States. Looking ahead to the 2026 edition, the GB side will open with a quarter‑final clash against the eleven‑time champions, the Czech Republic.
A victory would set up a semi‑final against either Spain or Kazakhstan, while defending champions Italy will meet China in the opposite half of the draw, with Ukraine and Belgium contesting the remaining quarter‑final. Captain Keothavong expressed satisfaction with her selections, saying on the LTA website: “It’s a great achievement to reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals again and I am naming my initial nominations for the GB team.
I’m pleased to select Katie Boulter, who knows what it’s like to step up on occasions like this, and the three women who played with so much heart and courage to upset Australia earlier this year, namely Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage. Czechia will be a very challenging first match for us but the players and I believe in our chances, since we have a very strong record in recent finals.” The schedule, listed in UK and Ireland times, is as follows: - Tuesday 22 September – Czech Republic vs Great Britain (10 am) - Wednesday 23 September – Spain vs Kazakhstan (10 am) - Thursday 24 September – Ukraine vs Belgium (3 am) and China vs Italy (not before 10 am) - Friday 25 September – Winner of quarter‑final 1 vs winner of quarter‑final 2 (10 am) - Saturday 26 September – Winner of quarter‑final 3 vs winner of quarter‑final 4 (10 am) - Sunday 27 September – Winner of semi‑final 1 vs winner of semi‑final 2 (10 am) For tennis fans eager to follow the action, Sky Sports will stream the US Open and other major tournaments via its traditional broadcast, the NOW streaming service, and the Sky Sports app. Subscribers can expect access to more than half again as much live sport this year at no extra charge.
Additional resources include an A‑Z guide to tennis terminology, match scores, results, and video highlights, all available through Sky’s platforms. In summary, Emma Raducanu’s exclusion from the Billie Jean King Cup squad underscores the lingering impact of her leg injury and casts doubt on her participation in the imminent US Open.
The British team, bolstered by Boulter, Dart, Stojsavljevic and Burrage, will press on in Shenzhen, hoping to build on their recent semi‑final run while keeping an eye on future competitions. The situation remains fluid, and any late addition to the roster will depend on Raducanu’s health progress in the weeks leading up to the tournament.