Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open.
Minutes after finishing her media duties, Raducanu announced her withdrawal.
Will Emma Raducanu play a match on clay this year?
Another withdrawal for the 2021 US Open champion…
The Briton is still not 100% after falling ill during the Middle Eastern swing in February.
Unfortunately for Raducanu, her latest withdrawal could hurt her over the coming months.
Emma Raducanu might not be seeded for Roland Garros and Wimbledon
Raducanu currently sits 36th in the Live WTA Rankings.
Live WTA Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Points |
| 32 | Sara Bejlek | Czechia | 1,369 |
| 33 | Katerina Siniakova | Czechia | 1,362 |
| 34 | Maya Joint | Australia | 1,360 |
| 35 | Anastasia Potapova | Austria | 1,350 |
| 36 | Emma Raducanu | Great Britain | 1,340 |
| 37 | Emma Navarro | USA | 1,322 |
| 38 | Alexandra Eala | Philippines | 1,310 |
| 39 | Janice Tjen | Indonesia | 1,292 |
| 40 | Jelena Ostapenko | Latvia | 1,284 |
| 41 | Tereza Valentova | Czechia | 1,265 |
She was ranked inside the world’s top 32 before the Italian Open, but will drop 90 points and six places, unable to defend the points she earned from reaching the fourth round last year.
That’s bad news for the upcoming Grand Slam events in Paris and London.
The top 32 players are seeded for the Grand Slams, meaning they avoid their fellow seeds until at least the third round.
In theory, that allows the top players to ease into the tournament, rather than face their biggest rivals right away.
As things stand, Raducanu won’t be seeded for either of the next two Grand Slams and could play the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina from the very first round.
Raducanu would ideally like to return to the top 32 before the French Open begins, but it’s unclear whether she will be fit to do so.
And there aren’t many clay-court events left to play…
Upcoming clay-court events (WTA 500, WTA 250, WTA 125)
| Week beginning | Tier | Tournament | Location | 2025 Champion |
| May 11 | WTA 125 | Parma Ladies Open | Parma, Italy | Mayar Sherif |
| May 11 | WTA 125 | Trophee Clarins | Paris, France | Katie Boulter |
| May 18 | WTA 250 | Morocco Open | Rabat, Morocco | Maya Joint |
| May 18 | WTA 500 | Internationaux de Strasbourg | Strasbourg, France | Elena Rybakina |
She could drop down to the Challenger level, but with fewer points on offer, Raducanu would likely need to win an event to earn herself a seed.
Alternatively, Raducanu could play the Strasbourg WTA 500 event.
With 500 points up for grabs, she might not need to win the title, but reaching the quarter-finals or semi-finals in a stacked field won’t be easy.
The likelihood is that Raducanu’s chances of being seeded in Paris have come and gone, and she should now look ahead to the grass-court season and Wimbledon.
If she was touch-and-go to play Rome, she shouldn’t be too far from full fitness, and can start building towards reclaiming a seeded spot at the All England Club.
When did Emma Raducanu last play a professional match?
Raducanu hasn’t been seen in action since Indian Wells.
There, she played Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova in the second round.
Delivering one of the finest performances of her 2026 campaign, Raducanu defeated Zakharova, 6-1, 6-3, to set up a mouth-watering third-round clash with Amanda Anisimova.
Unfortunately, the match failed to live up to expectations, as Anisimova dominated Raducanu in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
It remains to be seen when and where Raducanu will return, but we hope it’s sooner rather than later!
The 2026 French Open begins on Sunday, May 24, before Wimbledon starts on Monday, June 29.
