Italian Open: Emma Raducanu withdraws with post-viral illness shortly after media conference

Radukanu last played for Indian Wells in 2018.

However, the 23-year-old has been training at the National Tennis Center in London and the Ferrer Academy near Benidorm in recent weeks.

In Rome, she met her friend and former LTA national coach Jane O’Donoghue and physio Emma Stewart, who may have spoken to Raducanu during her interviews.

“Coming to the clay courts is more physically demanding than anything else possible, but I want to come back 100% ready,” Raducanu said.

“I’ve been slowly building my way up and I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

We now know that she will not be going to Rome this week.

Radukan has his last chance to play a WTA event before the French Open in either Strasbourg or Rabat in two weeks.

But if she misses the entire clay swing, Raducanu will be out for three months when the grass-court season starts.

Although Raducanu qualifies to compete at Roland Garros, which begins on May 24, she will do so as an unseeded player.

In the year The 2021 US Open champion is ranked 30th in the world but only 32 players have been seeded – and she is now a long way from defending her point from last year’s fourth-round win in Rome.