Emma Raducanu makes big decision just weeks before French Open

But the British No 1 is now poised to make her long-awaited return to the court at the WTA 500 event in Strasbourg, which begins on Sunday.

The tournament represents Raducanu's final opportunity to gain valuable match practice before the French Open gets under way on May 24.

The 23-year-old had been due to compete at the Italian Open earlier this month.

However, she withdrew on health grounds as she continued to recover from a post-viral infection.

Raducanu later made it clear that she would not rush back to competition until she felt "100 per cent ready".

Her absence means she is likely to miss out on a seeded position at Roland Garros.

Currently ranked world No 30, the 2021 US Open champion is expected to slip down the rankings following this week's tournaments in Rome and Paris.

That could leave her vulnerable to a difficult draw in the second Grand Slam of the season.

Strasbourg has proved a useful stop for Raducanu in the past.

She was also awarded a wildcard into the tournament last year and made an encouraging start by defeating Daria Kasatkina, then a top-20 player.

Her run was ended in the following round by Danielle Collins.

Raducanu has shown flashes of her best tennis in 2026 despite an interrupted schedule.

She has won seven of her 14 matches so far this season, with her strongest display coming at the Transylvania Open in February.

There, she put together an impressive run to the final after suffering a second-round exit at the Australian Open.

Raducanu will enter the French Open hoping to summon the magic that made her a Grand Slam champion in 2021.

That year, she upset the odds to win the US Open - with Leylah Fernandez beaten in the final.

She has, however, been plagued by injury and inconsistency in the time since.