Brutal Conditions Force Early Exit

Emma Raducanu's Wuhan Open hopes evaporated under oppressive 34°C heat as the British No. 1 retired trailing 6-1, 4-1 against American Ann Li. Medical staff monitored the 2021 US Open champion's blood pressure courtside before her withdrawal, the WTA confirming "dizziness" as the official cause.

Key Match Details

• Li dominated with 78% first-serve success rate
• Raducanu committed 22 unforced errors in 63 minutes
• Humidity levels exceeded 70% during daytime session

Health Concerns Mount on Tour

This retirement continues a worrying trend:

• Jannik Sinner (Shanghai Masters): Cramp-induced withdrawal
• Novak Djokovic: Vomited mid-match last week
• Five players required medical timeouts in Wuhan's opening sessions

"The conditions felt like playing in a steam bath," Li remarked post-match. "I could see Emma struggling to push off during rallies."

Tournament Implications

Raducanu's early exit jeopardizes her Australian Open seeding prospects. The 22-year-old needed strong Asian Swing results to boost her current No. 30 ranking.

Other Day 2 Highlights

• Naomi Osaka staged a comeback (4-6, 7-5, 6-3) vs Fernandez
• Iga Świątek cruised 6-1, 6-1 against Bouzková
• Chinese wildcard Shuai Zhang (No. 142) upset 14th seed Navarro

Players battled extreme heat at the Wuhan Open's outdoor courts

Medical Protocols Under Scrutiny

Tournament organizers face questions after:

• Delaying outdoor matches until 5 PM local time
• Implementing only 90-second heat breaks
• Limited on-court cooling stations

Next for Li: A second-round clash with 9th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who dispatched Mboko 6-3, 6-2.