Emma Raducanu Withdraws from Madrid Open for Recovery

Emma Raducanu, the British number one and 2021 US Open champion, has withdrawn from the upcoming Madrid Open as she continues to recover from post-viral symptoms stemming from an illness contracted in February. The 23-year-old world number 29 has not competed since a third-round defeat at Indian Wells on March 8, marking her third consecutive tournament absence.

Raducanu first fell ill during the Transylvania Open in Romania in early February, where she reached the final but lost to Sorana Cirstea. Despite the symptoms, she traveled to the Middle East for WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai, withdrawing mid-match in Doha and exiting in the first round in Dubai. She later reflected that she should have skipped those tournaments to prioritize recovery. At Indian Wells, Raducanu secured one victory before a swift 6-1, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova in just 52 minutes. Speaking afterward, she acknowledged her struggles, saying, "I need to obviously be aggressive when playing those players, but I think there's still a long way to go to be doing that and I need to use my strengths and probably mix it up a bit more."

The illness has sidelined her from several key events, including the...