Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from next week's Berlin Open as she continues to manage persistent back problems that have troubled her since competing in Strasbourg last month.
The 22-year-old, who will regain her status as British number one when rankings update on Monday, has been struggling with the issue that first flared up before the French Open.
The former US Open champion was due to compete in the WTA 500 event starting Wednesday, having been offered a wildcard for the prestigious tournament.
Her withdrawal comes as a precautionary measure to rest her back ahead of Wimbledon, which begins on June 30.
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Berlin Open as a result of the injuryDuring her quarter-final defeat to Zheng Qinwen at Queen's on Friday, Raducanu required an off-court medical timeout for treatment and took painkillers to manage the discomfort.
"It's been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before," she said after the match. "It's just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it."
The world No 37 acknowledged the ongoing nature of the problem, stating: "I need to let the back rest. [It] needs proper and careful management."
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Emma Raducanu has suffered a reoccurring back injury recentlyReutersShe added that whilst not overly concerned it was something serious, the issue was "very annoying" and required careful attention.
Despite the setback, Raducanu's team has confirmed she still plans to compete at the WTA 250 event in Eastbourne starting on June 23.
The British player's priorities appear to have shifted following her Queen's exit: "I think maybe my goals have slightly shifted from being seeded to actually improving my game," she explained.
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Rather than focusing on securing a Wimbledon seeding, which would have required reaching the Queen's final or a deep Berlin run, Raducanu expressed a preference for competitive matches against top players.
"I'd rather have a more competitive match, even if that means losing first round, second round," she said.
Raducanu has experienced back issues previously, including spasms before January's Australian Open and again in Strasbourg in May.
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Coco Gauff will be competing in the Berlin Open after beating Emma Raducanu on her way to clinching the French Open
Reuters
The Berlin tournament she is missing features nine of the world's top 10 players, including world number one Aryna Sabalenka and French Open champion Coco Gauff.
Only five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek is absent due to shoulder discomfort.
At Eastbourne last year, Raducanu defeated Jessica Pegula to claim her first victory over a top-10 player before reaching Wimbledon's fourth round.
This year's Championships will offer increased rewards, with singles winners receiving £3 million in prize money.
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