Emma Raducanu has been placed in the second round of the Italian Open in Rome, where she will meet either Argentina's Solana Sierra, who is currently ranked No. 72 in the world, or a qualifier who emerges from the earlier matches.
This draw marks Raducanu's first appearance in a tournament since March and her inaugural competition on the red clay surface for the 2026 season. After a prolonged absence due to a viral illness, the British No.
1 is now ready to step back onto the WTA Tour, having missed the entire clay‑court swing up to this point. The Briton had previously withdrawn from the Mutua Madrid Open, citing a right‑hand injury, and consequently did not contest any matches on clay before Rome. With a first‑round bye already granted, her opening match will be in round two against Sierra or a qualifier, depending on how the qualifying rounds unfold.
Should she advance, the most likely opponent in the third round will be world No. 3 Coco Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, making for a high‑profile clash that could propel Raducanu back into the spotlight. Looking further ahead in the draw, the highest‑ranked potential quarter‑final opponent is Mirra Andreeva, a finalist at the Madrid Open, while the top seed in Raducanu's half of the bracket is world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
The British player enjoyed her best performance at the Italian Open last year, reaching the fourth round before being eliminated by Gauff, so a repeat or improvement would be a significant milestone in her comeback. Raducanu spent the previous week training in Spain at the Ferrer Tennis Academy near Alicante, under the guidance of Andrew Richardson. Richardson was the coach who stood beside her when she captured the US Open title in 2021 as a qualifier, a historic achievement that still resonates in tennis circles.
Although she has recently been working primarily with hitting partner Alexis Canter after parting ways with longtime mentor Francisco Roig, she briefly reunited with Mark Petchey during her Indian Wells campaign in March. In Rome, she is now back under the tutelage of her childhood coach, Jane O'Donoghue, who is helping her fine‑tune her game for the clay season. The British women's field also features notable players.
Katie Boulter, currently ranked No. 3 in the UK, has enjoyed a promising start on clay, reaching the quarter‑finals in Rouen and securing a win at the Madrid Open.
She will open her Italian Open campaign against Germany's Eva Lys. Meanwhile, Sonay Kartal (World No. 56) and other British competitors such as Harriet Dart are also in the draw, adding depth to the UK's representation.
On the men's side, Cameron Norrie, the British No. 1, has built a solid early‑year résumé, advancing to the third round of the Australian Open, making quarter‑finals in both Indian Wells and Barcelona, and reclaiming the British No. 1 ranking while breaking back into the top 20. Norrie enjoys a first‑round bye at the Foro Italico and will look to add a deep run on clay to his resume.
Other British men—Jacob Fearnley, Jan Choinski, Jack Pinnington‑Jones, and Billy Harris—are battling through the qualifying rounds in hopes of joining the main draw. The men's draw also promises a potential showdown between world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, though they can only meet in the final.
Sinner, who has not played since March when he fell to Jack Draper at Indian Wells, is eager to capture the Italian Open title and join the exclusive club of players who have completed the Career Golden Masters. Djokovic, at 38, has already won each of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events twice and will be looking to add another trophy to his already illustrious collection. The tournament schedule is set to begin on Tuesday, May 5, with the women's matches, followed by the men's competition starting on Wednesday, May 6. Live coverage will be provided by Sky Sports Tennis, with streaming options available through NOW and the Sky Sports app, offering subscribers over‑50‑percent more live sport this year at no extra charge.
Day sessions will kick off at 10 a.m., while evening sessions will start at 6 p.m., leading up to the finals weekend on May 16 and 17. In summary, Emma Raducanu's return to the WTA Tour in Rome represents a pivotal moment in her recovery from illness and injury.
With a favorable draw that could see her face Coco Gauff in the third round and potentially Aryna Sabalenka later on, the British star has a clear pathway to test her form against some of the game's elite. Supported by a familiar coaching team and a solid training base in Spain, Raducanu is poised to make a compelling statement on clay, while the broader British contingent—both women and men—aims to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the Italian Open.