Emma Raducanu Pulls Out of Madrid Open Due to Ongoing Recovery

British tennis star Emma Raducanu has announced her withdrawal from the upcoming Madrid Open, citing her continued rehabilitation from post-viral symptoms. Raducanu's decision comes after she also opted out of participating in the WTA Tour events in Miami and Linz, prioritizing her recovery from an illness she contracted in Romania earlier this year. Although she has resumed training, Raducanu is taking a cautious approach, aiming to return to competition at the Italian Open in Rome, which commences on May 5. Her last match was at Indian Wells on March 8, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. Raducanu acknowledged that she needs to regain her strength and aggression on the court, particularly when facing top-tier opponents. Following her split from coach Francisco Roig in January, Raducanu has been informally working with Mark Petchey to regain her form. The Madrid Open has seen several high-profile withdrawals, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Barbora Krejcikova. Raducanu's clay-court campaign will now begin in Rome, followed by tournaments in Strasbourg and Rabat leading up to the French Open.