The Brit has endured a depressing 2026 and it is set to get even worse.
Emma Raducanu hasn’t featured on clay in any respect this season (Picture: Getty)
Emma Raducanu’s nightmare 2026 continued along with her newest withdrawal from a serious tennis event. The Brit, who hasn’t performed a match of any variety since early March, received’t characteristic on the upcoming Italian Open.
Raducanu is but to characteristic in any clay-court event this 12 months, and now has only one alternative to get some brick mud expertise beneath her belt earlier than the French Open. However on the subject of Roland-Garros, Raducanu’s newest withdrawal has thrown a spanner within the works of her French Open preparations in additional methods than one.
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One of many highlights of Raducanu’s 2025 was reaching the fourth spherical of the Italian Open, the place she was defeated by eventual runner-up Coco Gauff. In consequence, Raducanu collected 120 rating factors, however the 2021 US Open winner’s absence at this 12 months’s event means her opponents can have the possibility to make up floor.
Raducanu is presently ranked thirtieth on this planet, however is more likely to tumble even additional forward of the French Open. The double whammy for the Brit is that if she falls outdoors of the highest 32, she received’t be given a seeded place within the draw and might want to qualify or obtain a wildcard to play.
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The French Open has usually been Raducanu’s worst Slam since breaking onto the scene, as she’s by no means progressed past the second spherical. Final 12 months marked her first look within the event since 2022, which was the primary time she competed at Roland-Garros altogether.
Raducanu may compete on the WTA 500 occasion in Strasbourg the week earlier than the French Open – one thing she did final 12 months. However, even nonetheless, she’d be going into the second Slam of the 12 months undercooked, one thing Greg Rusedski believes might be detrimental.
Emma Raducanu has been absent from competitors since early March (Picture: Getty)
He stated: “In case your preparation on the clay is absolutely good, even for those who’re not a pure clay quarter, your outcomes actually find yourself going effectively on the grass court docket season.
“I all the time felt that myself. I wasn’t the perfect clay court docket participant on the planet, however I used that interval to get myself stronger, transfer higher, you already know, get all these features in. So after I got here to the grass, it was simply really easy.
“So Emma must get again on court docket. You may’t simply say, okay, let’s hand over clay and let’s simply get onto the grass courts. I feel you’ve bought to get the steadiness. The very first thing is get wholesome. Do away with this virus, get to your nutritionist, get your weight loss program proper, get your vitamin consumption, what you must eliminate this virus. As a result of it’s such a disgrace she hasn’t been in a position to play it.”
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