Raducanu withdraws from Wimbledon; Serena returns as tour braces for Slam

Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from 2026 Wimbledon (WTA) after a scan revealed a stress fracture in her leg, a gut-wrenching blow for British tennis on the eve of the home Grand Slam. The withdrawal came after days of uncertainty, with Raducanu initially signaling she would attempt to compete, but medical assessment ultimately ended any hope of a late-hour reprieve. Her absence underscores the mounting injury toll among top players heading into Wimbledon, a concern voiced loudly by returning contenders as the grass-court major begins this week. The bigger narrative this week has been Serena Williams' shock return to singles at Wimbledon for the first time in four years, marking one of sport's most unexpected comebacks—though not without friction. Williams took aim at tennis' anti-doping system, calling it "unprofessional" and "unreasonable," and revealed she had to talk herself into accepting Wimbledon's offer to play singles due to the stringent doping protocols. Meanwhile, on grass, Zizou Bergs claimed his maiden ATP Tour title at Eastbourne, becoming the first Belgian man to win a grasscourt title. In an upset at the same event, Tatjana Maria, ranked 112, knocked out Jasmine Paolini in the round of 32. With injuries sidelining key players and the old guard making unexpected returns, Wimbledon begins this week as a notably unpredictable Grand Slam.