Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her third straight tournament, confirming she will sit out the upcoming Madrid Open as she continues battling an illness she contracted in February.
Britain’s top-ranked female player has been sidelined for six weeks since her defeat to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells, having also been absent from the Miami Open and the Upper Austria Ladies Linz due to lingering post-viral symptoms.
Her absence deals yet another blow to tournament organizers, who were already reeling after world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and three-time former champion Novak Djokovic both pulled out within hours of each other on Friday. Alcaraz sustained a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open earlier this week, while Djokovic continues to manage a persistent injury that has left him unable to compete.
Raducanu’s troubles began in February when she fell ill, visibly struggling during the Transylvania Open final, where she fell to Sorana Cirstea. She subsequently traveled to the Middle East for the WTA 1000 tournaments in Doha and Dubai, where her difficulties persisted — retiring mid-match in Doha and suffering a first-round exit in Dubai.
The world No. 29 later acknowledged that, in hindsight, she should have bypassed those tournaments. Raducanu subsequently competed at Indian Wells, claiming one victory before suffering a bruising 52-minute defeat at the hands of Anisimova — her last appearance on court since.
Last year, Raducanu advanced to the second round in Madrid before falling to Marta Kostyuk, and her withdrawal this year will cost her 35 ranking points. The British star fared considerably better at the 2025 Italian Open, powering her way into the fourth round before being eliminated by Coco Gauf.
It has been a turbulent season for Raducanu, whose pursuit of consistent form has been repeatedly derailed by injury and illness. A foot injury disrupted her pre-season preparations, leaving her with only days of practice points before her opening match of the year at the United Cup.
The 23-year-old was knocked out in the second round at the Australian Open and subsequently parted ways with Spanish coach Francisco Roig. She has since been accompanied on tour by her hitting partner, Alexis Canter, and physiotherapist Emma Stewart.
There were encouraging signs when Raducanu reached her first final since the 2021 US Open, finishing runner-up in Cluj in February. However, a viral illness took hold shortly after, and its persistent symptoms have continued to disrupt her season.