Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship after testing positive for COVID-19.
The 19-year-old US Open champion was set to compete in the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi but has since entered isolation.
“I was very much looking forward to playing in front of the fans here in Abu Dhabi, but unfortunately after testing positive for Covid-19, I will have to postpone until the next opportunity,” Raducanu said.
“I’m isolating as per rules and hopefully will be able to get back on court soon.”
She is said to have shown mild symptoms after her positive test. Already in Abu Dhabi ahead of this weekend’s event, she was set to face off against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic on Thursday.
Raducanu was recently nominated for BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award.
She is set to travel to Australia after Christmas in preparation for the Australian Open, the first major of 2022.
Raducanu has risen to stardom in recent months after she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in September. The upcoming season will be her first full one on the WTA Tour, beginning with the Melbourne Summer Set — one of two WTA 250 events taking place starting January 3 in the lead up to the Australian Open which begins January 17. It will be her first Grand Slam with new coach Torben Beltz.
Raducanu will have to go through a 10-day isolation period before beginning her return to tennis.