Emma Raducanu Pulls Out of Madrid Open Due to Ongoing Recovery

Emma Raducanu has decided to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open as she continues her journey to full recovery. The British No 1 had also previously withdrawn from WTA Tour events in Miami and Linz, prioritizing her rehabilitation from post-viral symptoms that stemmed from an illness she contracted in Romania during early February. Raducanu, who also opted out of Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia, is back in training and is hopeful to participate in the Rome tournament at the start of May. Her last match was in the third round at Indian Wells on March 8, where she lost 6-1 6-1 to Amanda Anisimova. Following the match, Raducanu acknowledged that a lack of power had contributed to her underwhelming performance, stating, "I need to be more aggressive when competing against such players, but I still have a long way to go and need to utilize my strengths more effectively." Since parting ways with her coach Francisco Roig in January, the 2021 US Open champion has been informally working with Mark Petchey as she strives to regain her form. Raducanu's next opportunity to compete on clay will be at the Italian Open, which commences in Rome on May 5, followed by tournaments in Strasbourg and Rabat leading up to the French Open. Her withdrawal from the Madrid Open makes her the latest high-profile player to do so, joining the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Sonay Kartal, and Barbora Krejcikova.