EMMA: I WILL BE BACK IN NO TIME

EMMA RADUCANU has pulled out of next week’s Berlin Open to manage her “annoying” back problem in the build-up to Wimbledon.

- By Neil McLeman

But the British No.1, who now has little hope of getting a seeding at her home Grand Slam, is still planning to play in Eastbourne in the week before SW19.

The former US Open champion first suffered back spasms before the Australian Open in January and again at the Strasbourg Open last month.

And Raducanu, 22, needed a medical timeout and took painkillers during her quarter-final defeat at the HSBC Championships on Friday.

Asked in her post-match press conference if she was a fitness doubt for Wimbledon, she said: “I don’t know” and added: “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.