Emma Raducanu Pulls Out of Madrid Open Due to Ongoing Recovery

Emma Raducanu has decided to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open, citing her ongoing recovery from post-viral symptoms as the reason. The British No 1 had also previously pulled out of tournaments in Miami and Linz, prioritizing her rehabilitation after falling ill in Romania in early February. Raducanu, who also skipped Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia, has resumed training and is hopeful of competing in Rome in early May. Her last match was on March 8 at Indian Wells, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. Raducanu attributed her poor performance to a lack of power and acknowledged the need to be more aggressive and strategic in her gameplay. Since parting ways with coach Francisco Roig in January, Raducanu has been informally working with Mark Petchey to regain her form. The Italian Open, starting on May 5, will be Raducanu's next opportunity to compete on clay, followed by tournaments in Strasbourg and Rabat leading up to the French Open. Raducanu joins a list of high-profile players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Barbora Krejcikova, who have also withdrawn from the Madrid Open.