Emma Raducanu was omitted from the Great Britain roster for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals scheduled to take place in Shenzhen, China, in late September. The decision, announced by team captain Anne Keothavong, left the British No.1 as the most conspicuous absentee while fellow players Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage secured their spots.
Raducanu has not competed since mid‑June, when she delivered a career‑best performance on grass by reaching the final at the Queen's Club Championships. That impressive run was abruptly halted when a lingering injury forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon, where doctors later identified a stress fracture in the lower right leg.
The fracture kept her out of competition for roughly six weeks, and she has not returned to match play since that withdrawal. While the British Tennis Association has not issued a formal statement linking her omission to her health, the timing suggests that her ongoing rehabilitation likely influenced Keothavong’s selection.
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 be prioritising players who have demonstrated recent match fitness and form. The Billie Jean King Cup rules allow teams to add a fifth player closer to the tournament dates, which run from September 22 to September 27. However, any late addition would still need to meet fitness criteria, and it remains uncertain whether Raducanu will be cleared to join the squad at that stage.
Beyond the immediate impact on the Billie Jean King Cup, Raducanu’s absence raises fresh concerns about her availability for the upcoming US Open, which begins on August 30 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The 2021 US Open champion has not played competitively for over a month, and lingering doubts about her leg’s recovery could jeopardise her participation in what is one of the sport’s marquee events.
In Raducanu’s stead, Great Britain progressed through the group stage and defeated Japan to secure a place in a third consecutive semi‑final. Their campaign, however, ended at the hands of the United States, who proved too strong to overcome.
Looking ahead, the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup campaign for Great Britain will open with a quarter‑final clash against the Czech Republic, a nation that has won the title eleven times. The winner of that tie will face either Spain or Kazakhstan in the semi‑finals. Defending champions Italy will open their title defence against China, while Ukraine and Belgium will meet in the opposite quarter‑final.
Captain Keothavong praised the selected squad, saying, "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 tournament schedule (all times UK and Ireland) is as follows: - Tuesday, September 22 – Czech Republic vs Great Britain (10:00) - Wednesday, September 23 – Spain vs Kazakhstan (10:00) - Thursday, September 24 – Ukraine vs Belgium (03:00) and China vs Italy (no earlier than 10:00) - Friday, September 25 – Winner of quarter‑final 1 vs winner of quarter‑final 2 (10:00) - Saturday, September 26 – Winner of quarter‑final 3 vs winner of quarter‑final 4 (10:00) - Sunday, September 27 – Winner of semi‑final 1 vs winner of semi‑final 2 (10:00) For tennis fans eager to follow the US Open and other major events, Sky Sports will provide live coverage from August 30, with additional streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app.
Subscribers can enjoy more than 50% additional live sport this year at no extra charge. The omission of Raducanu from the Billie Jean King Cup squad marks a notable shift from the previous year, when she withdrew from the national team to compete in the Korea Open on the WTA Tour. Her current focus appears to be on full recovery and a cautious return to the tour, rather than immediate national representation.
Should her rehabilitation progress more quickly than expected, there remains a slim possibility that she could be added as a fifth player before the competition begins. Until then, the British team will rely on the depth of its current roster to contend with the world’s top nations in Shenzhen.