Emma Raducanu was briefly forced off court with an apparent injury just days away from the French Open.
Raducanu was beaten in three sets by Danielle Collins in Strasbourg in their last-16 clash on Wednesday.
3
Raducanu needed a medical timeout after an injury to her backCredit: Sky Sports
The 2021 US Open winner was going strong, winning the first set 6-4 and was well on her way to the quarter-final.
Collins, however, found her groove and stormed back to a 5-0 lead in the second set.
Just as Raducanu was about to serve to stay in the set, she called for the trainer.
The 22-year-old seemed to be struggling with a back injury and was forced to leave the court for treatment.
Read more on Emma Raducanu
Collins did not seem amused as she was barely able to hide her annoyance.
She also fumed at the cameraman who was getting too close to her and Raducanu.
She said: “I need to get water. We’re on a changeover. You don’t need to be that close to me and you don’t need to be on top of Emma. It’s wildly inappropriate.”
Several minutes later, Raducanu came back out on court and held her serve.
But the American did her job and closed out the set to force a decider.
She won that decider 6-3 to move on to the next round.
3
Collins did not seem amused by Raducanu’s anticsCredit: Sky Sports
Fans on social media were quick to point out that Raducanu had scolded her opponent in Rome for doing the exact same thing.
Veronika Kundermetova took a medical timeout when she was 5-0 down in the second set, having taken the first against Raducanu.
The Brit accused her opponent of trying to throw her off with the timing of the treatment.
“It was difficult, luckily I was 5-0 up when she took the timeout. I kind of knew it was to throw me off but I kept my cool, luckily I had a good cushion and served it out,” Raducanu said to Sky Sports after the match.
Raducanu went on to win that match, only to lose in the next round to Coco Gauff.
Now, she has been accused of doing the same thing to Collins in near identical circumstances.
3
Collins will move to the quarter-final in Strasbourg
Any injury will be a concern with the French Open starting on Sunday.
For Collins, she will face either Jessica Pegula or Anna Kalinskaya in the quarter final.
She said: “To be good at anything, self expression is really important.
“There aren’t many successful people that feel like they can’t be themselves.
“I’m a competitor at the end of the day. I’m not meek and mild.”