- Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Madrid Open, extending her absence from tennis.
- A viral illness and back concerns have hindered her recent competition schedule.
- She aims for a strong return during the grass and hard court seasons.
Emma Raducanu will stay away from the WTA Tour for at least two extra weeks. The 23-year-old has withdrawn from the Madrid Open. This decision follows her struggle with a viral illness. This health issue first started during Middle East tournaments in February.
Since competing at Indian Wells in early March, the former US Open winner skipped several events. She missed the Miami Open and the Linz Open. Currently, she is focusing on her fitness. She requires significant training time on clay before she can return to professional play.
Clay surfaces often stress her intermittently troublesome back. While she has talent on this surface, moving on it is difficult for her. In 2022, back injuries forced her to retire from a match in Rome shortly after appearing in Madrid.
Her history includes surgeries on her left ankle and hands during 2023. In 2024, she performed well on indoor clay in Stuttgart and the Billie Jean King Cup. However, a heavy first-round loss in Madrid left her feeling emotionally and mentally exhausted.
Raducanu might return for the Italian Open on 5 May. Other options include tournaments in Rabat and Strasbourg. If she skips all clay events, her break will reach three months. This would leave her with very few matches before the grass season.
The latter half of the year is a primary focus. She wants to play on home grass and US hard courts. Additionally, she looks forward to tournaments in China. Her Chinese heritage ensures she receives a warm welcome in those venues.
Since leaving coach Francisco Roig, she has worked with Alexis Canter. She remains open to a full-time coach but worries about public scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Madrid Open begins Tuesday without Raducanu, Novak Djokovic, or Carlos Alcaraz.
