Emma Raducanu pulls itself back from Berlin because of the concern of the back injury – As the fears grow for British no. 1’s Wimbledon hopes only 17 days for the championships

Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Berlin open while she continues to manage the backbone that has plagued her since the end of the clay season.

The newly beaten British No1’s first grass-court event came to Queen’s this week, with Raducanu reaching the quarterfinals before he met with number one seed Zheng Qinwen.

After taking a medical time-out to see a physio off-court, Raducanu lost straight sets from the Olympic champion and shared in the aftermath of the competition that she was still struggling with the repetition of a back spasm that interrupted her tournament preparations last week.

“I have been struggling with my back since Strasbourg, and it has just been something that has been on and off,” said Raducanu. ‘I have managed it pretty well in recent weeks, but I think the week will continue and I have now played five games, such as, even if two were double, I think it just tests.

“I don’t know (how worried I should be). It has been hanging in recent weeks and I have had problems before. I think it’s just a vulnerability of mine. I know I have to take good care of it.

“I am not too worried that it is something serious, but I know it is something that is very annoying and needs good and careful management,” she added.

Emma Raducanu will not participate in the Berlin Open on the heels of her quarter -final defeat on Queen’s on Friday

The 22-year-old is struggling with a back issue since Strasbourg almost a month ago

Raducanu took a medical time out during her quarter-final loss of Zheng Qinwen on Friday

The withdrawal comes only 17 days before the start of Wimbledon, and the player’s chance to be sown in her home Grand Slam.

Arranging 36 in the world in the live rankings, except for a wave of recordings Raducanu will probably get a more challenging draw.

But Raducanu remains positive that she will compete in Eastbourne, a week before the championships, after taking a week of rest instead of playing the 250 tournament in Germany.

The campaign of the former US Open Champion in West London began clearly, with the then-British NO2 that Cristina Bucsa saw in a brutal straight sets that thrashing thrashing.

With similar confidence, Raducanu then abandoned Rebecca Sramkova to book her first meeting with World No5 on Friday afternoon.

Prior to the tournament, Raducanu admitted last week that her tournament expectations were ‘fairly low’ after her grass training plans were interrupted by a second spasm three weeks after struggle in Strasbourg.

Colleague British No1 Jack Draper starts his Gras-Court adjustment for Wimbledon against the American Jenson Brooksby.

The number two seeds during the men’s tournament on Queen’s most recently played the World No151 – which enters the tournament with a protected ranking – during his triumphant run at Indian Wells.

Jack Draper plays Jenson Brooksby in his first round with Queen’s when the men’s event starts on Monday

Draper would be on track to meet the number one seed of the tournament and the French open champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final, a year after beating the Spaniard in their second round collision in the Queen’s Club.

Other potential placed match-ups for Draper are American star Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, Miami Open Champion Jakub Mensik and World No10 Alex de Minaur.

Jacob Fearnley will meet a qualifying match in his opening round in West Londs, while Wildcards Cameron Norrie and then Evans meet Mensik and Tiafoe respectively.