Emma Raducanu has taken the decision to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open, as she continues her rehabilitation from post-viral symptoms that have hindered her recovery from an illness contracted in Romania earlier this year. This withdrawal follows her earlier decisions to pull out of the Miami and Linz WTA Tour events, underscoring her commitment to prioritizing her health and fitness. Raducanu, who also opted not to participate in Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia, has resumed training and is hopeful of making a comeback at the Rome tournament in early May.
Her last competitive outing was in the third round at Indian Wells on March 8, where she suffered a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova. Reflecting on that performance, Raducanu acknowledged that a lack of power had been a significant factor in her subdued display.
"To compete effectively against such opponents, I need to adopt a more aggressive approach, but I recognize there's still considerable work to be done in this regard. I must leverage my strengths more effectively and introduce greater variety into my game," she stated. Since parting ways with her coach, Francisco Roig, in January, Raducanu has been working informally with Mark Petchey as she seeks to regain her form. The Italian Open, scheduled to commence in Rome on May 5, will be Raducanu's next opportunity to compete on clay, followed by tournaments in Strasbourg and Rabat ahead of 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. Fans can catch the ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports or stream them via NOW and the Sky Sports app.