Emma Raducanu provides back injury update after opting out of Berlin Open
Emma Raducanu will miss next week's Berlin Tennis Open as she continues to manage a back problem.
The 22-year-old has been struggling with the issue since competing in Strasbourg last month before the French Open and took an off-court medical timeout during her quarter-final loss to Zheng Qinwen at Queen's Club on Friday.
Speaking afterwards, Raducanu said: 'It's been lingering for the last few weeks, and I have had back issues before. I think it's just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it.
'I'm not overly concerned that it's something serious, but I know it's something that's very annoying and needs proper and careful management.'
Raducanu had elected to play in the German capital rather than Nottingham after being offered a wild card into the WTA 500 event, which is set to feature nine of the world's top 10.
But the former US Open champion will instead prioritise rest and recovery to ensure she is fully fit for Wimbledon.
Raducanu's decision means she will miss out on being seeded for her home grand slam but she is understood to be confident of playing in the Lexus Eastbourne Open the week before Wimbledon.
Last year, Raducanu claimed the first victory of her career over a top-10 player by defeating Jessica Pegula on the south coast before going on to make the fourth round at the All England Club.
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Daily Mail
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Aussie Adam Scott ready to make history with major win after stunning US Open third round
Adam Scott has already entered the US Open history books but is chasing so much more after taming fearsome Oakmont to stand on the brink of an extraordinary second career major. The talismanic Australian will play in the final group on Sunday (Monday AEST) after finishing a brilliant third round just one shot behind American leader Sam Burns. Super composed, Scott rebounded from a first-hole bogey with four birdies, including three on the back nine, in a stylish and 'stress-free' Saturday three-under-par 67. The former world No.1 is only the third player ever to start with three US Open rounds of 70 or better at the tournament's most demanding layout. Curtis Strange achieved the feat in 1994 before Shane Lowry matched the record eight years ago. Scott's 70-70-67 start leaves the 2013 Masters champion just one stroke behind American leader Sam Burns, who carded a one-under 69. Fellow American JJ Spaun bogeyed the last hole in a round of 70 to join Scott at three under. For much of the day, Scott hovered at even par before exploding with three birdies in the last six holes on 13, 14 and 17. At 44, Scott is bidding to become the oldest US Open winner of since Hale Irwin in 1990. Victory would also place the Queenslander in the history books for the longest wait by a player between their first and second major championship triumphs. 'It would be super fulfilling,' Scott said. 'Everyone out here has got their journey. Putting ourselves in these positions doesn't just happen by fluke. It's not easy to do it. 'I really haven't been in this kind of position for five or six years, or feeling like I'm that player. But that's what I'm always working towards. It's not that easy to figure it all out. 'But if I were to come away with it tomorrow, it would be a hell of a round of golf and an exclamation point on my career.' Golf's most likeable elder statesman certainly has experience on his side, with Scott the only major winner sitting inside the top 10 entering the final round. 'At this point, it's just all opportunity for me. I feel like there's all upside,' he said. 'I'm lucky. I've won a major. I'd love to win the US Open tomorrow. It's going to take a really great round of golf, something like what I did today, I believe, and fortunately the confidence is up so I should take advantage of it.' Contesting an incredible 96th consecutive major, Scott three-putted the opening hole in a deflating start. But the veteran put the hiccup behind him to collect his first birdie of the day at the par-5 fourth hole. Then he hit the go button down the stretch to be well-poised to break a five-year winless run since taking out the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in 2020. 'I played really solid today,' Scott said. 'Conditions were a lot softer, but there's still plenty of trouble to get in, and I drove it well off the tee. I was in most fairways, I would say. 'And the couple of times I missed, I managed to escape. So it was a good solid US Open round of golf.' Norwegian Victor Hovland is outright fourth at one under after also shooting 70. The quartet are the only players in red numbers. Playing his first major since 2022, Monday qualifier Marc Leishman rocketed up the leaderboard with a birdie-filled round of 68 to be tied for 11th. But the revitalised Australian looks a little too far back at four over and eight shots adrift of Burns, as is world No.1 Scottie Scheffler who could only manage an even-par third round after a wretched day on the greens. Jason Day (72) is one shot further back in equal 21st.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
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US Open leader Sam Burns tapping into Scottie Scheffler wisdom as he closes in on unlikely major triumph
Sam Burns is sharing a house with Scottie Scheffler this week and golfing quality on the highest stage appears to have passed from one bedroom to another. Having never finished higher than ninth in a major, Burns will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the US Open on four under par. As for his closest mate in the sport, Scheffler is eight back after being chewed up by Oakmont Country Club, same as almost everyone else at this tournament. Burns? So far he has seemed impervious to the stress of his situation, with a loop of 69 adding to the brilliant 65 on Friday with which he built his challenge. JJ Spaun, a contender since day one, bogeyed the last to fall to three under alongside Adam Scott, aged 44 and 12 years removed from his major win at the Masters. Burns said: 'I think as a kid growing up, you dream about winning major championships and that's why we practice so hard and work so hard. 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Golf's most combustible individual is in fine shape after a 68 and, most tellingly, has avoided any full-scale eruptions of temper. The closest he came was punching his putter after a missed birdie attempt on the 16th, but that was mild by his standards. Quite why this, of all courses, should be the environment where he contends for a breakthrough is open to contrasting theories, but his was more amusing than most. 'I have a head-off whenever I play,' he said. 'But everyone comes to the US Open and has a head-off, so it brings them to my level for a week.' That was marvellous, but a clearer explanation comes from the style of his game. His strength has always been found from tee to the green and Oakmont is a killer for those who are off target. The fact Hatton hit 13 out of 14 fairways tells you everything. Hatton added: 'I knew at the start of the year and certainly last year when I signed with LIV that the majors were going to be very important for me. 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And I just think that this falls into that category, really. 'I just don't think it necessarily rewards good shots and I think it penalises bad shots too harshly.' He added: 'I have spoken a lot over the last few years about rough graduation, and you can be more penalised for hitting a shot one yard off the fairway, six inches off the fairway, than you can 40 yards off the fairway. 'When you've got the greens as extreme as these, it amplifies any miss. I get that it's the same for everyone and you have got hit good shots and obviously it always sounds like sour graves when a player complains. 'I am a huge fan of the US Golf Association, I've played 11 US Opens now, and I feel like I've experienced what is hard and fair and what is hard and unfair over the course of my career now. I just feel like this falls into that category of unfair. 'I think Xander (Schauffele) said something great earlier this week. People watch the US Open to see us shoot eight over par and that's a good score - I completely agree with that. I love that. I think that's what makes it interesting from a normal week of shooting 25 under. '(But) I just feel like there's a line, you know. It is a tough golf course, but I think I don't necessarily feel like it needed to be made more extreme than it is.'
Times
an hour ago
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Sam Burns and Adam Scott lead charge as Rory McIlroy heads for exit
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Rolling in the putts and rolling back the years, the popular Aussie has the chance to become the second-oldest US Open champion at 44 and set a record for the longest gap between majors; his first came at Augusta in 2013. Viktor Hovland dropped a shot on the last but played some lustrous irons and is only three off the lead. They are the only men under par. Nobody has been better here than Scott in terms of consistency — he is the one player with no rounds over par — and the way he salvaged a par from the sand by the 15th, after a lustrous 95-yard wedge ended a few inches from an eagle on the previous hole, was evidence of his talent and temperament. If he lingers, expect the crowd to get right behind him. Such is the capacity for mayhem of Oakmont, with its dense rough, steep bunkers and slick and sloping greens, that plenty of others will think they can still win. Tyrrell Hatton is one, only five off the top, and Bob MacIntyre is in the top ten. At the summit, Burns, eighth a year ago, is sharing a house with Scottie Scheffler so did not have far to go for advice on sleeping on a 54-hole major lead. A stuttering Scheffler is eight behind and needing to find his hitherto missing best while hoping his housemate encounters problems. It is about time Hatton applied some varnish to a shabby major record too. Anyone who can use their irons to such brilliant effect should be in contention more often, and his ability to put tantrums and setbacks behind him could help here. It was a restorative day for him, despite a late double bogey, as he has been struggling off the tee on the LIV circuit. Win here and he will be a fifth LIV champion from the past 12 majors. Of course, it will not be comfortable for anyone. Oakmont has challenged the best and Matt Fitzpatrick, a player who likes a grind and won the US Open at Brookline in 2022, gave a damning verdict and said the difficulty had actually made it unfair. 'You can be more penalised for hitting a shot six inches off the fairway than you can 40 yards off it,' he said. 'And obviously, when you've got greens as extreme as these, it amplifies any miss. I get that it's the same for everyone and you have got to hit good shots, and it always sounds like sour grapes when a player complains. But I've played 11 US Opens now and I feel I've experienced what is hard and fair and what is hard and unfair. This falls into that category of unfair.' As for McIlroy, he is clearly struggling for motivation and is still irked that someone leaked news that his driver had been judged 'non-conforming' at last month's US PGA Championship. Most felt that was not a huge deal, but wanted to know if changing to a back-up had explained his errant driving at Quail Hollow. He admitted the leak was only part of it. Having bogeyed the last hole at Oakmont for a round of 74, he was never going to be in Tigger mode, but he did stop for his first post-round major interview since winning the Masters. 'You don't really know how it's going to affect you,' he said of his victory at Augusta. 'You don't know how you're going to react to something [you've] dreamt about for a long time, and I have felt a little flat on the golf course.' He showed some fight to make the cut on Friday but laughed about the methodology involved. 'It's funny. It's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not. It makes it much easier to play when you're in that mindset.' His assessment of his US Open so far was 'pretty average,' but he said he had driven the ball as well as he had for a long time. Eventually, McIlroy was asked why he had snubbed the media for six rounds. Was it frustration with the golf course? 'Not, not really,' he said. 'It's more frustration with you guys.' Given that McIlroy has given more of himself and his thoughts than almost any other player, this was uncharacteristic touchiness. He stressed that he had skipped media sessions before. 'That [the driver story] was part of it, but it's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before. I'm just doing it more often. I feel I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do.' Hindsight has not yet been kind to the notion that McIlroy would be unburdened after ticking off the grand slam. The pressure is off, but recent evidence suggests McIlroy is better when that is not the case. For Burns, Scott, Spaun and those eyeing a golden major Sunday, the heat is very much on.
