Emma Raducanu criticised the “slippery” courts at the ASB Classic in Auckland after retiring from her second-round match with an ankle injury.
The Briton left the court in tears after rolling her ankle during the second set against Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova, with the score 6-0 5-7.
It is just 11 days before the Australian Open begins in Melbourne.
“The courts are incredibly slick, so to be honest it’s not a surprise that this happened to someone,” said Raducanu.
The British number one, who didn’t drop a game in the opening set, told New Zealand website Stuff: “It’s difficult to take. I’ve put a lot of physical work in the last few months and I’ve been feeling good and optimistic.
“So to be stopped by a freak injury, rolling an ankle, is pretty disappointing.”
The match was played on an indoor court because of persistent rain in Auckland.
Raducanu, who said she would assess the injury over the next few days, tried to play on after receiving medical attention but withdrew two points into her opening service game at the start of the third set.
The 2021 US Open champion had an injury-blighted 2022 season, retiring from five matches, but said she was injury-free and feeling “good” following an exhibition match in December.
She began 2023 with victory over teenager Linda Fruhvirtova in her opening match in New Zealand in preparation for the season’s first major.
