Emma Raducanu's illness explained as British tennis star targets Madrid Open return

Callum Vurley
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:00:19 +0000

Emma Raducanu's frustrating absence from the tennis tour continues, with the British No. 1 still battling the after-effects of a virus she picked up back in February.

It's been nearly a month since we last saw her on court, when she suffered a heavy defeat to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells, managing just two games in a match lasting under an hour.

Since then, the 23-year-old has pulled out of both the Miami Open and the WTA 500 event in Linz.

The world No. 28 is still experiencing post-viral symptoms that simply won't shift, and it's understood she's determined to get back to full health before stepping onto a match court again.

Looking back, it's clear Raducanu pushed herself too hard while feeling under the weather.

She first fell ill during the Transylvania Open in February, where she reached the final but looked completely off her game in a 6-0 6-2 loss to Sorana Cirstea.

Just two days later, she was back competing in Doha, some 2,800 miles away.

That match ended with her retiring at the start of the third set against Camila Osorio after having her vitals checked.

She then headed to Dubai, where a cough and chest discomfort hampered her performance.

By the time she arrived in California for Indian Wells, Raducanu admitted she should have skipped those Middle Eastern tournaments altogether.

"In hindsight, I think the Middle East was too much of a push. I wasn't feeling good health-wise and kind of made myself stay out there, but I probably wouldn't do the same again," she said.

Raducanu is now setting her sights on the Madrid Open, which gets underway on 21 April.

As a seeded player, she'd receive a bye into the second round, meaning her first match would likely fall around 23 or 24 April.

The switch to clay makes her cautious approach even more sensible – she wants to be completely fit before tackling a new surface.

Her current ranking of No. 28 has its perks, securing her spots in the main draws at both the Italian Open and the French Open.

And grass court fans can look forward to seeing her at the Queen's Club WTA 500 event, which starts on 8 June, where she's already confirmed her entry.