Emma Raducanu suffered a frustrating setback ahead of the French Open after falling to a straight-sets defeat against Diane Parry at the Internationaux de Strasbourg.
The former US Open champion was beaten 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in her opening match in Strasbourg on Tuesday, leaving her with just one clay-court contest under her belt heading into Roland Garros, which begins on Saturday.
For Raducanu, the result represents an unwelcome blow after more than two months on the sidelines with a post-viral illness.
The British No 1 was playing her first match since a heavy defeat to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells Open and had hoped the WTA 500 event would provide valuable match practice before the second Grand Slam of the year.
Raducanu also reunited with coach Andrew Richardson, the man who guided her to her remarkable US Open triumph in 2021.
There were encouraging signs early on.
Despite slipping to No 37 in the world rankings, the 23-year-old moved sharply and looked confident as she broke serve to establish a 4-2 lead in the opening set.
Emma Raducanu suffered a frustrating setback ahead of the French Open after falling to a straight-sets defeat against Diane Parry at the Internationaux de Strasbourg
|SKYSPORTS
But Parry, roared on by the home crowd in Strasbourg, hit back immediately.
The Frenchwoman, ranked No 94 in the world, had arrived full of confidence after winning the Clarins WTA 125 event in Paris on Sunday and gradually turned the momentum in her favour.
Raducanu's serve proved her undoing.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Emma Raducanu is out of the Internationaux de Strasbourg following a 6-4, 7-6 defeat to Diane Parry ❌ pic.twitter.com/bFHV1eEFSa
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 19, 2026
A series of costly double faults allowed Parry back into the contest, and the French No 4 saved two break points before closing out the first set after 56 minutes.
The second set followed a remarkably similar pattern.
Raducanu once again surged into a 4-2 lead, only to surrender the advantage as unforced errors and further double faults crept into her game.
At one stage she appeared on the brink of forcing a deciding set, producing an excellent return game to level at 5-5 after Parry had served for the match.
But the contest eventually moved into a tie-break, where Parry held her nerve.
Five things to know about British tennis star Emma Raducanu
|PA
Two errors from Raducanu at crucial moments allowed the Frenchwoman to complete victory and avenge her defeat to the Briton in a Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in 2024.
Although Raducanu showed flashes of the movement and shot-making that carried her to Grand Slam glory, the defeat leaves her short of competitive preparation on clay.
That is far from ideal with the French Open now just days away, where she will face some of the world's best on her least familiar surface.
For Raducanu, the race to rediscover her sharpness will now continue under the unforgiving spotlight of Roland Garros.