Emma Raducanu needs treatment to back as British star suffers three-set defeat to Danielle Collins in Strasbourg

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Emma Raducanu took a medical timeout as she was beaten by Danielle Collins in the second round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg. The 22-year-old required treatment to her back, just a few days before the 2025 French Open gets underway. The problem cleared hampered the Brit, who had impressively won the first set, but was eventually consigned to a 4-6 6-1 6-3 defeat.

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Emma Raducanu took a medical timeout as she crashed out of the Internationaux de Strasbourg at the second round stage, with a 4-6 6-1 6-3 defeat to Danielle Collins.

The Brit was playing in her final tournament before this year's French Open, which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from Sunday, May 25.

Having recorded an impressive victory over No. 6 seed Daria Kasatkina in her opening match, the wildcard was looking to rack up yet another win on clay at the WTA 500 event.

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But a back problem appeared to hamper the former US Open Champion in the second set, as she eventually lost a clash that lasted well over two hours.

It means the 22-year-old has played her last match before heading to Roland-Garros, where she has only previously played once before, in 2023.

On that occasion, Raducanu was beaten by Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round.

Indeed, the Brit has limited experience on clay, but did recently get to the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome.

After that run, and the victory over Kasatkina, she admits she is "starting to like" clay "a little bit more".

And she continued where she left off from that win, taking the first set against Collins - which was sealed with an ace - 6-4.

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The American raised her game thereafter, reeling off seven points in a row at one stage and racing into a 5-0 lead after twice breaking serve.

Raducanu called for the physio at that point, and was seen getting treatment to her back.

That appeared to loosen the Brit up, and she duly stopped the rot after a medical timeout, although Collins still took the set 6-1.

That took the match into a decider, when Raducanu suddenly found her range again.

She fired down a couple of aces in her opening two service games, before her opponent saved four break points to hold for 2-2.

Collins let out a roar upon winning that game, and it proved to be the turning point, as she broke a frustrated Raducanu to 15.

But the Brit hit straight back, levelling at 3-3 after taking a mammoth game that went to deuce on six occasions with a scintillating cross-court forehand winner.

It was a rollercoaster set, but Collins would race to the finish line. She broke for 4-3 in the next game, and opened up some breathing room after Raducanu was unable to deal with some heavy serving.

Indeed, the American constantly found the lines with some big hitting and won every point against her opponent's second serve in the third set.

A break in the last game was the icing on the cake, and she now progresses to face either Jessica Pegula or Anna Kalinskaya in the quarter-finals.

"I knew playing Emma that I would have to play my aggressive game style," Collins said in her on-court interview afterwards.

"The more I did that, I think I was able to stay in control of the points and really push her. She played really well and gave me some challenges, but I just kept going after her.

"Physically, I'm pretty good. I had a day off yesterday, so I feel like it's actually nice. I was thinking after I lost the first set 'this is great, I'll end up getting a longer time on court,' which is sometimes needed.

"It was good to be challenged in that way, so I was happy to stay out here a little longer. I'm feeling good. That's a good sign.

"I'm 31 now. Everybody tells me after 30 it's all down hill, but I feel like that on a few days, and on other days, I'm like, 'no, I'm good!'"

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