Hong Kong – The Prudential Hong Kong Open appears to be jinxed, as two major players, Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka, have withdrawn from the tournament due to injuries. This news comes as a blow to the highly anticipated WTA 250 event, scheduled to run from October 26 to November 3.
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1, was the first to announce her withdrawal. On October 21, 2024, the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (HKCTA) released a statement confirming that Osaka would be unable to compete due to injury, effectively ending her 2024 tennis season. Despite her withdrawal, Osaka assured fans that she would still attend the tournament and participate in various activities, including meeting with fans. "I love visiting the tournament and despite the obvious disappointment of not being able to play, I want to reassure all my wonderful Hong Kong fans that I will still be attending the event. I am very much looking forward to meeting you all," Osaka stated.
Just days later, on October 23, 2024, the HKCTA announced that former US Open champion Emma Raducanu had also withdrawn from the tournament due to a foot injury. Raducanu, who has been recovering from a foot injury sustained during the Korea Open in September, expressed her regret in a statement: "I'm sorry to say that I will not be able to play in Hong Kong next week. Whilst my foot is making good progress, I need a little more time before I am match fit,". She added, "I hope to be able to come back and play this tournament in the future!".
Raducanu has been forced to withdraw from five tournaments since spraining ligaments in her foot in the quarterfinal of the Korea Open in September. She has only participated in two events since July. Peter Johnston, HKCTA Director of International Events, acknowledged the unfortunate situation, stating, "It is unfortunate that Emma is now missing her first WTA tournament in Hong Kong and we send her our best wishes to recover quickly from her injury,". He added, "Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, and we do hope that she will be back competing as soon as possible".
Raducanu's withdrawal marks another setback in her return to competitive tennis. After undergoing wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023, she showed promising form at Wimbledon earlier this year.
Despite these high-profile withdrawals, the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2024 still boasts a strong lineup of players. Defending champion Leylah Fernandez, two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, British No. 1 Katie Boulter, and Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun are among the notable participants. Joining them are Diana Shnaider, Anastasia Potapova, Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue, and Wang Xiyu. Sofia Kenin has replaced Raducanu in the draw. Local players Eudice Chong and Cody Wong Hong-Yi will also be competing.
The tournament will offer a total prize pool of US$250,000.
