Emma Raducanu was not included in the Great Britain lineup for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals scheduled for September in Shenzhen, China. The decision left the British No.1 as the most conspicuous omission, while teammates Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage earned spots on the roster selected by captain Anne Keothavong. Raducaru's absence is rooted in a prolonged injury layoff that began after her impressive run at the Queen's Club Championships on June 14.
During that event she reached the final on grass, the best result of her career on that surface, before a lingering injury forced her to curtail the remainder of her season. A subsequent stress fracture in the lower right leg forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon, and she has not competed in a professional match for six weeks. While the British tennis federation has not issued an official statement linking her omission to her health, the timing strongly suggests that her ongoing recovery prevented her from being named to the squad. Raducanu was also left out of the team that secured a qualifying win over Australia in April, despite being fit at that time, indicating that the captain may have been cautious about her fitness level.
The Billie Jean King Cup format permits the addition of a fifth player shortly before the competition begins, which runs from September 22 to September 27. However, as the deadline approaches, it appears unlikely that Raducanu will be called up, given the limited time she would have to regain match sharpness. The implications of her non‑selection extend beyond the team event.
The United States Open, which starts on August 30 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, is the next major tournament on Raducanu's calendar. The same injury concerns that kept her out of the Billie Jean King Cup also raise fresh doubts about whether she will be ready to compete at Flushing Meadows.
The 2021 champion captured worldwide attention with a dramatic victory, and fans are eager to see if she can replicate that form, but her current health status makes her participation uncertain. Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup campaign continues without her. In Raducanu’s absence, the team defeated Japan to secure a third consecutive semi‑final appearance, only to fall to the United States in the next round. Looking ahead to the 2026 edition, Great Britain will open with a quarter‑final clash against the Czech Republic, a nation that has claimed the title eleven times.
The winner of that tie will face either Spain or Kazakhstan in the semi‑finals. Defending champions Italy will start their title defence against China, while Ukraine and Belgium are slated to meet in the opposite half of the draw. Captain Keothavong expressed satisfaction with her selections in a statement posted on the LTA website.
She said, "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 for the finals, listed in UK and Ireland time, is as follows: - Tuesday, September 22 – Czech Republic vs Great Britain (10:00 AM) - Wednesday, September 23 – Spain vs Kazakhstan (10:00 AM) - Thursday, September 24 – Ukraine vs Belgium (03:00 AM) and China vs Italy (no earlier than 10:00 AM) - Friday, September 25 – Winner of Quarter‑final 1 vs Winner of Quarter‑final 2 (10:00 AM) - Saturday, September 26 – Winner of Quarter‑final 3 vs Winner of Quarter‑final 4 (10:00 AM) - Sunday, September 27 – Winner of Semi‑final 1 vs Winner of Semi‑final 2 (10:00 AM) For tennis enthusiasts, Sky Sports will continue to provide live coverage of both the ATP and WTA tours as well as the US Open starting August 30. Subscribers can also stream matches via the NOW platform or the Sky Sports app, which promises more than a 50% increase in live sport content at no extra charge for existing customers.
In summary, Emma Raducanu’s omission from the Billie Jean King Cup squad underscores the lingering impact of her recent injuries. While her teammates press on in the team competition, the broader tennis community will be watching closely to see whether she can recover in time for the US Open and reclaim the momentum that propelled her to stardom in 2021.