Raducanu Returns at Italian Open After 8-Week Illness Layoff

Emma Raducanu is preparing for her return to the WTA Tour at next week's Italian Open in Rome after an eight-week absence due to illness, including a recent training stint with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to the 2021 US Open title.

The British No. 1, currently ranked 27th, has not competed since a third-round loss to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells in early April, where she won just two games in a straight-sets defeat. She withdrew from the Miami Open, Linz Open and Madrid Open citing lingering effects of a virus contracted during the Middle East swing in February. Raducanu's camp confirmed she spent several days last week training with Richardson at the Ferrer Tennis Academy in Alicante, Spain, where he is based. There are no plans for him to take a formal role going forward.

Raducanu has lacked a permanent coach since parting ways with Francisco Roig after the Australian Open in January. She has traveled with hitting partner Alexis Canter and physiotherapist Emma Stewart, and briefly reunited with former coach Mark Petchey at Indian Wells. Both Petchey and Richardson worked with her as a junior before her US Open breakthrough as a qualifier.